Burn the Bridge and Start Anew
by LoserxLoser
Summary: Karma thought Class E would be his end, but it might just be a new beginning. Part Four of an AU. (Cross-posted on ao3 under the same username)
1. Chapter 1

_Oh, my. That looks like fun._

Karma watched, inwardly thrumming with anticipation, as his classmates drilled what appeared to be basic knife work. He vaguely recognized the knives they were working with as the same model currently concealed in his sleeve. They hadn't noticed him yet, so he was content to merely observe how the class functioned until they did. Karma wasn't familiar with any of them, but he didn't particularly mind that fact. He had never been familiar with his classmates in Class A, either. There, he focused only on surpassing Gakushuu. Here, while he still focused on beating Gakushuu, he had another goal: to kill his monstrous teacher.

Subconsciously, Karma's eyes flitted over to analyze the giant, yellow octopus. _Tall,_ Karma mused. _Even just sitting down, you can tell he's far larger than any normal person. Those tentacles are strange, too. What can they be used for - weapons, defense, or just movement? If you ignore the height, he doesn't look particularly intimidating, either. Is that intentional? Is he trying to lower our guard by appearing innocuous? Though,_ Karma thought, the expression on his face twisting with amusement, _that smile doesn't look as genial as it does disturbing. It's effective for concealing his thoughts - is that intentional?_ Karma hummed in contemplation as he sipped from his juice box. _Probably,_ he decided. _That big head of his must be brimming with secrets._

Karma's eyes lit up with manic glee at the thought of carving the knowledge from that monster's brain.

As a far corner of his mind systematically attempted to dissect the octopus's very being, Karma flexed the hand inside his pocket in trepidation. _Will this work? They said he was capable of Mach 20 speed, and he's evaded all their surprise attacks._ The hand clenched into a white-knuckled fist, the malleable rubber fastened to his palm adapting to the sudden curve. _It doesn't matter if this kills him or not. My first try always fails, anyway. I just have to keep chipping away. His reputation, his psyche, his serenity - I'll destroy it all. Then, and only then, I'll kill him._ Karma's lips twisted into a wry, bitter smile. _She'd love me if I saved the planet, right?_

 ** _Right?_**

* * *

They noticed him eventually.

P.E. had ended, and the students were gradually migrating back to the classroom. Karma's eyes darted from student to student, scrutinizing their uniforms, posture, expressions, and attitude. _They don't seem very concerned. You'd think they'd be more apprehensive - they're in the company of the super-creature who destroyed the moon, after all._

 _Oh, well,_ Karma inwardly sighed. _Everyone knows Class E is full of oddballs._

 _You'll fit in perfectly, then, won't you?_

 ** _Shut up._**

Karma knew when he had finally been spotted. There, at the bottom of the hill, stood two boys. Karma focused on the first. The boy (if he was a boy. Karma wasn't completely sure) had blue hair - something Karma would've thought strange if not for his own oddly-colored hair. Azure eyes stared up at him in confusion as Karma's thoughts whirred. _Small,_ he thought absently. _Feminine, if he's not a girl. Weak._ Karma hummed in satisfaction. _Not a threat,_ he decided. _Though his eyes do have an unusual glint in them._ Karma turned his focus on the other one.

The second boy was startling only in the fact that he was so different from the boy next to him. Dark hair, blue eyes, average build - yes, that's how Karma would describe him. _Average._ His eyes held no malice or suspicion, and Karma knew instantly he and that boy were complete opposites. _The only thing we share,_ Karma thought in amusement, _is our height. This boy doesn't have a wicked bone in his body. Not a threat,_ he decided once again with an inward sigh. _How boring._

Now _they_ were studying _him,_ and Karma felt a twinge of annoyance. He knew he stood out. Bright red hair and peculiar mercury eyes - how could he not? He was also aware that he appeared decently attractive, though no one had ever told him so directly. The girls in his previous class had whispered about him behind his back, and his looks had been frequently discussed in hushed tones. _Cute, intelligent, psychotic -_ those were the adjectives they used most often. Of course, those girls had never actually spoken to him. Apparently, _psychotic_ cancelled out _cute_ and _intelligent._ Not that Karma particularly cared _what_ they thought, though. Those girls annoyed him, just as being studied like a bug under a microscope annoyed him.

Karma looked past the two boys and saw the octopus making his way towards them. _Show time,_ Karma thought gleefully as he pasted an awe-struck look on his face. He quickly descended from the top of the mountain, attention now focused wholly on the giant monster.

"Whoa, that's the Korosensei I've heard about?" he asked rhetorically, breezing past the two boys without so much as a sideways glance. "Amazing. He really does look like an octopus."

"You would be . . . Akabane Karma, right? I'd heard your suspension ended today." At that, the octopus's yellow face darkened in warning as he crossed his tentacles. "You really shouldn't be late on your first day," the monster scolded.

He came to a halt before the octopus, heart thumping rapidly at the thought of his next move. A mixture of fear and thrill kick started the adrenaline he relied so heavily upon, and Karma fought to keep his composure. _Just have to wait for the perfect time._ _Smile. Smile! Don't let your mask crack. Don't give anything away._

Karma faked a sheepish, guileless smile as he pretended to laugh nervously. "I've gotta get back into the rhythm of school life."

 _Almost there._

"It'll be more relaxed if you use my first name," Karma said as he stretched out his right hand with a soft, easygoing grin. "Anyway, it's nice to meet you, _sensei._ "

 _Wait for it . . ._

"Same here," the octopus replied, face frozen into that ever present cheerful look as he reciprocated Karma's offer of a handshake. "Let's have a fun and interesting year."

 _Now!_

Karma crushed the tentacle in his grip, tossed the juice box aside, and flicked the knife from his sleeve in one motion. He lunged forward and lashed out with the knife, his easygoing smile morphed into a demented grin. The knife struck only air, though, and Karma's abrupt attack stuttered to a halt. The octopus stood several meters away, and the crowd around them seemed frozen in shock. _Dammit,_ Karma hissed inwardly. _That freak is too fast! Fast enough to dodge any point-blank attack, so why did he . . . ?_

"Huh. You really are fast, and these knives really _do_ work against you," Karma mused aloud as he studied the strips of green knife on his hand, demented grin fading to quiet amusement. "I tried cutting one into small pieces and sticking them to my hand, but . . ." He held his hand up to illustrate his point, palm held out towards the monster. "Y'know, _sensei,_ to be deceived by such a simple trick. And on top of that, to jump back that far, aren't you a bit _too_ frightened?"

Savage delight dominated Karma's face as he slowly stalked towards the octopus, knife replaced in his sleeve and hands rested comfortably in his pockets. "I've heard that you're called Korosensei because you're unkillable, but what's this?" He smirked and leaned in close to the monster, eyes alight with manic glee as he crooned mockingly, " _sensei,_ could it be that you're actually an easy mark?"

Karma watched in fascination as the octopus's yellow complexion changed to a dark red. _Ooh, he must be angry,_ Karma thought to himself. _Is it because I hurt him, or because I trash-talked? Well, he only got angry once I teased him, so it must be the trash-talking. Fragile ego? That can be exploited. Does he not like being called weak? I'll have to figure out what irks him if I'm going to keep getting under his skin. Ah, this is so much fun!_

He flashed one last psychotic smile at the monster before turning away, casually strolling past his gaping classmates. _You saw me just then, didn't you? All your attention was focused solely on me. How wonderful! I'm so excited for this game - are you? Ah, I can't wait until the real fun begins. I'll kill you - just you wait. I won't fail at this._

 ** _I refuse to fail again. [1]_**

* * *

Karma wrinkled his nose at the rancid stench that permeated the air around the bag he carried. _I did not think this one through,_ he groaned internally. _That_ _Shiota_ _boy_ _said the monster liked being called an octopus, so this will definitely get under his skin, but . . ._

 _Why does it have to smell_ _ **so bad?!**_

Karma sighed aloud, then, as he walked through the entrance of the Class E building. His footsteps had been hurried on his walk to school out of sheer desperation to be rid of the vile smell. He had left early to set up his prank, but, judging by the muffled sounds emanating from the classroom, he still wasn't the first to arrive. That fact vaguely irritated him, but it didn't really affect his plans. _They better keep quiet about this,_ Karma thought to himself. _I really don't want to hear them whine about the smell or the sight - not when I had to deal with it last night and all morning._

So Karma slid open the door of the classroom, a scowl fixed on his face, and entered the room holding a trash bag that contained a reeking, dead, ten-pound octopus.

He deliberately ignored the stares of his classmates as he stopped before the teacher's desk. As he set the trash bag on the desk, he caught hushed whispers behind his back, but he paid them no mind. Karma drew out the knife from his sleeve with a sharp flick of his wrist and slashed an opening at the top, disregarding his classmate's audible shock at the sight of an actual knife, rather than the flimsy anti- _sensei_ knives. He dumped the deceased octopus out of the bag and onto the desk with a resounding _plop!_ Karma gagged at the foul stench, whatever buffer the bag served as now eradicated. _This better be worth it,_ Karma thought. _This is the most disgusting prank I've ever done, so if he doesn't react I will-_

"Er, Akabane?"

Karma glanced over his shoulder at the sound of his name being called in such a nervous manner. When he realized it was the male class representative, he turned with a sigh. "Yes?"

Isogai looked uncomfortable, and he peered around Karma's should to see the dead octopus. "Well, I was just wondering what you're planning on doing with . . ." He coughed awkwardly, " _that._ "

Karma blinked at him, not an ounce of emotion showing on his stoic expression. "This," he said, then spun around and plunged the knife still in hand deep into the octopus's head.

He thought he heard a muffled whimper from someone **[2]** , but he wasn't entirely sure. He turned back to face Isogai, head tilted and eyes alight with twisted amusement as he questioned mockingly, "that okay?"

Isogai maintained his composure admirably, even if his complexion did lighten a shade. "I guess," he said, his voice clearly illustrating his reluctance. "Is that for an assassination?"

Karma bared his teeth in a feral grin, eyes screaming _leave me alone._ "Maybe."

Thankfully, Isogai received the hint. He nodded curtly, then returned to his desk and pointedly avoided looking at the decomposing cephalopod. Karma inwardly smiled at the easy victory, then exchanged his menacing expression for one of indifferent boredom as he surveyed the half-empty classroom.

"Any other questions?" he deadpanned.

Numerous heads shook in denial, so he took that as a win. Karma allowed a flicker of mania to show in his eyes as he grinned.

" _Excellent_ ," he purred.

Karma moved to take his place in the back of the classroom, mind whirring as he reviewed his assassination plan. _Come on, monster. I'm ready for you._

 ** _Let's play._**

* * *

 _Failure, failure, failure!_ the voice sang mockingly. _How amusing! How many times did you fail today? How many times did that monster outwit you? Even the dead octopus didn't phase him! Are you really that incompetent? Are you really that_ _ **foolish?**_ _You're the one who made the rules of the game - now you can't even win it? How disappointing! Do you expect her to love you with that paltry amount of effort? Where's you conviction? Where's your_ _ **resolve?**_ _You're nothing but a stupid child!_

 ** _Shut up._**

Karma frantically gnawed on his fingernail, his previous failures to kill the monster causing the thoughts in his head to take on a hysterical note. He was perched on the trunk of a tree that jutted out from the edge of a cliff, leg swinging precariously in the wind. He had escaped from the stares and whispers of his classmates as soon as lunch rolled around and found a decent hiding spot to contemplate his next move.

 _Why can't I kill him?_ Karma thought desperately. _Why do I keep_ _ **failing?**_ _First Gakushuu, now this! That stupid monster - pretending he's a teacher! Pretending he_ _ **cares**_ _about us. Ha! I don't buy it. I know what happens when you trust a teacher. I'm not making that mistake again. The others can be fooled by that cheerful smile - I know better. They'll see eventually, though. Either I or somebody else will destroy his teacher facade, and then they'll know. All anyone cares about is themselves. He's no different. He's just like everybody else. Just like everybody . . ._

"Now then, Karma," the octopus suddenly interrupted his introspection. Karma glanced over his shoulder and spotted the octopus standing several meters away, his yellow face striped with green. The monster's usual implacable smile had gained a taunting edge. "Today, s _ensei_ certainly provided you with lots of improvements. You can still come to kill me, you know? I will polish you until you shine even brighter."

 _Sensei?_

 _Sensei, huh?_

 _You're still playing that game?_

 _ **I'm sick of it.**_

Karma rose shakily, a new plan gradually forming in his mind. A small, tranquil smile appeared on his face as he turned towards the monster. _I can destroy it right now. Or, if you want to keep it that badly, I can destroy_ _ **you.**_

"I'd just like to confirm it, but octopus, you're a teacher, right?"

 _Maybe she'll even love me for this._

The monster seemed slightly puzzled, but he answered, "yes."

 _Ah, I knew you'd answer that. It's fine. We'll see if your answer is the same in a few minutes._

"So would a teacher put his life on the line to protect his students?" Karma questioned, final details falling into place.

 _Maybe he'll see me for this._

"Of course," the octopus replied. "A teacher's a teacher, after all."

 _And a teacher is a self-centered liar, after all._

"I see," Karma murmured quietly as he drew his gun and aimed it at the monster.

 _Where's my resolve, you ask?_

"That's good," he continued, voice moderately louder. "In that case, I can definitely-"

Karma pitched backwards, gravity taking over and plummeting him towards the earth far, far below. Mercury eyes glinted with deadly promise, and his smile grew as he finished, "-kill you."

 _If you come to save me, then I'll shoot and kill you during the rescue. If you let me die without helping, then your existence as a teacher will be destroyed!_

The wind whipped at his clothes as Karma dropped _down, down, down._ His thoughts whirred frantically, pieces of memories and hopes and wishes coming together in a disjointed tangle.

 _Does this make me strong?_

 _Does this make me worthy?_

 _ **"You have nothing to prove to him, or your mother."**_

Karma laughed hysterically in midair.

 _Do you see me now?_

 _Do you love me yet?_

 _ **"That's nice, dear."**_

 _Will you look at me?_

 _Will you miss me?_

 _ **"I promise."**_

 _Will you even care?_

 _ **"I'm teaching him to be strong."**_

 _I'd rather die than fail._

 _I win either way, right?_

 _Nobody will care if I'm gone._

 ** _Nobody will care at all._**

 _Monster, you will die by my hand! Now, which 'death' will you choose?!_

Karma was forcibly jarred back to reality as his back hit something soft and squishy. His descent continued for only a brief second before he bounced up, and then he was perfectly still, suspended just above the treeline. He tried to move, to adjust his position, but he found that he was completely, inexplicably stuck. His arms and legs refused to budge an inch - all he could manage was to stare at the sky above.

"Karma, the deliberation you put into this assassination was magnificent."

 _No . . ._

"If I had rescued you at the speed of sound, your body wouldn't have been able to withstand it."

 _Dammit._

"On the other hand, if I took my time saving you, I would be shot in the interim."

 _I failed . . ._

"So, _sensei_ tried using a bit of stickiness.

 _Dammit, why?!_

"Like this, you can't shoot me," the monster tittered next to him.

Karma gritted his teeth as he prepared to snarl a response, but the octopus wasn't finished yet.

"Ah, by the way . . ."

 _What now? Another humiliation? Another defeat?_

The monster carried on gently, "for me, the option to abandon you doesn't exist. Believe in me and jump whenever you like."

Karma stared at him in shock, mouth agape in pure astonishment. _Doesn't . . . exist? He saved me, at the risk of his own life, and now he's telling me to do it whenever I want? Why? Ono-sensei wouldn't. No teacher would ever do something like that for me. I'm not even sure okaa-san would do something like that for me. So, why would he? What's he thinking? Does he . . . ?_

 _Does he see me?_

Karma chuckled quietly, allowing the squishy tentacles to support his head as he closed his eyes. _This is no good. I'm not dead, and I couldn't kill him. Not even his existence as a teacher._ _ **[3]**_

 _The option doesn't exist, huh?_

 ** _Thank you, Korosensei, for seeing me._**

 **[1] This scene and its dialogue was taken directly from the manga.  
[2] The someone was Hinano Kurahashi.  
[3] This scene, some of Karma's thoughts, and its dialogue was taken directly from the manga. The only thing I edited out was Nagisa's presence. **


	2. Chapter 2

_Strange,_ Karma mused. _Looking at them now, you wouldn't think they were the outcasts of the school, or that they're assassins. They just look . . . normal._

Karma sat in the back of the classroom as he discreetly observed his classmates eat lunch and socialize. Normally, he would disappear into the woods during lunch. He vehemently disliked being around crowds or people his age, so he avoided it whenever possible. Something about mindless chatter of pointless subjects irked him, made his fists itch and his head ache. Not to mention he abhorred discussing himself or _(gag)_ his _hobbies._ Unfortunately, Karma was confined to the classroom during lunch that day due to the rain which poured outside and sequestered even the most enthusiastic pluviophile **[1]** indoors.

So Karma sat in isolation, poking idly at his lunch, contemplating whether escaping the noisy classroom was worth the soaked clothes. He had just about decided that it was, in fact, worth the soaked clothes when a bright voice interrupted his rumination.

"Hey, Akabane!"

Karma glanced up, too surprised he heard his name to ignore the call. A blond girl stood before him, mischief lighting up her eyes and her lips pulled upward in sly amusement, which he suspected was at his expense. He reflexively tensed at her sharp gaze, yet outwardly displayed perfect indifference. He vaguely recognized her from roll call - Nakamura, wasn't it? - but he wasn't overly familiar with her personality or mentality. _I need to know how she ticks so I can scare her off. I can't have her thinking I want to be friendly with her or anyone else here._

"What do you want?"

"That's kinda harsh! Don't you know how to talk to girls?"

He didn't, but that was beside the point. The girls in his class had avoided him like the _plague._ Even with his number two ranking, he had been something of an outcast in his class. They had tried to befriend him in the beginning despite his clear apathy towards them all, but they quickly changed their tune after his sudden change in their first year. His _twisted_ personality, his _delinquent_ actions - his intellect and scores were admired, but his violent nature was shunned. Karma had celebrated his newfound peace back then, finally liberated from their constant attempts at conversation. The avoidance of the girls had been a _blessing._ He had never been interested in them, or anyone else. The very idea of being forced to interact romantically or sexually with _anyone,_ male or female, was enough to send shudders of horror throughout his body. If Nakamura was hoping to get a flustered reaction from him due to her gender, she was going to be sorely disappointed.

"Sorry," he said blandly. "Do you want something?"

She rolled her eyes, but his attitude didn't seem to phase her much. "Actually, there is. See, we've all been talking and we can't agree on what got _you_ sent to Class E. Some think you skipped too many classes, some think you were too lazy with your grades - the list goes on. Anyway, the debate got pretty heated, so we started a betting pool."

Karma's eyes narrowed. "Who's _we_?"

"Uh, most of the class, I think."

"Okay, so?"

" _So,"_ she emphasized, "now all the bets are in! Are you gonna tell us, or what?"

"Or what," he deadpanned.

"Aw, c'mon! I bet ¥1000 **[2]** on this."

"And how is that _my_ problem?" he questioned.

Her smirk grew, and Karma felt a vague sense of foreboding at her next words. "It'll be your problem when I bug you about it until you give in. In between classes, during P.E., all throughout lunch - I'll nag you every chance I get!"

Just the thought of Nakamura hanging around him all day was enough to irritate him. From the little he had observed during lunch, she was the social type. Mindless chatter, teasing, practical jokes - those appeared to be her forte. If she bothered him for as long as she claimed, he would be the victim of the worst kind of torture. His silence wrecked; his solitude destroyed - the very idea made his eye twitch uncomfortably. _She's smarter than she looks,_ he thought grudgingly. _She figured out what would annoy me the most by observing my behavior, then made it into a threat to convince me to comply. I'll have to keep an eye on her._

Karma sighed. "You really won't leave me alone about this?"

"Nope!"

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

" _Fine,_ " he grumbled. "But you have to leave me alone after."

"I can do that," she agreed.

" _And_ I want twenty percent of the betting pool."

Blue eyes narrowed at him. "Ten."

"Twenty."

"Fifteen," she countered.

Karma pondered the sum for a minute, then shrugged. "Deal."

 _It's not like I need money, anyway. Still, it's surprising they're curious about me. I'd hoped just to remain in the background, but that won't be possible if they keep trying to talk to me. Why are they doing that? All my previous classmates left me alone when I made it clear I wanted nothing to do with them. Are these guys oblivious, or do they just not care? Honestly, I can't figure these people out._

"Awesome!" She glanced over her shoulder and called out, "guys! He's gonna tell us!"

Karma watched multiple heads swivel to face his direction, and he felt a slight twitch of discomfort. _She really did mean most of the class, didn't she? Dammit, I_ _ **hate**_ _people getting into my business. Well, maybe this will get them to leave me alone. Nobody wants to be friends with the psycho who sent two upperclassmen to the hospital. If I leave out the part about defending a Class E student, then that should be enough to scare them off._

So he sighed loudly and proclaimed to the room in a tone that conveyed his complete disinterest, "I sent two third-years to the hospital at the end of last semester. Apparently, one of them was the top third year honor student, so I got suspended for the rest of the year and booted to Class E. All the other fights I had already gotten into before probably didn't help." He glanced over at Nakamura, his lips stretched into a smirking taunt as he questioned mockingly, "satisfied?"

They gaped at him, eyes expressing both their horror and shock at his nonchalant disregard of violence. The stares left him slightly uneasy, but his mask stayed firmly in place. _What were they expecting? Really, this shouldn't be that much of a shock based on my behavior so far. I obviously enjoy fighting - why is being suspended for it such a surprise? Well, maybe it's not the violence, but my complete apathy towards the situation._

"You sent . . . the top student . . . an _upperclassman . . ._ to the hospital?"

That wasn't Nakamura. Mercury eyes searched for the owner of the voice, and to Karma's surprise, it belonged to the average-looking boy - Sugino. He appeared to be completely astonished at Karma's words, and Karma felt a sense of accomplishment at rattling the typically composed guy.

Karma grinned maliciously at him. "That's what I said."

"What did you _do?_ " he questioned.

"Uh," Karma tilted his head back to gaze at the ceiling as he thought. "I think I gave him a concussion and a broken nose. I _definitely_ knocked a few teeth out, and I might have fractured a few ribs . . . And his jaw," Karma added after a beat. "The other one got off easy. He just got a concussion when I knocked him out."

"Ha!" a new voice piped up. This one belonged to the male seated next to him - Terasaka. He appeared to be the perfect mascot for the stereotypical 3-E student - big, obnoxious, and dumb as a brick. Karma had already labelled Terasaka as _not a threat_ when he first laid eyes on him. There was no conniving intelligence behind those eyes, just a playground bully attitude and a disregard for others. Karma relished the thought of putting him in his place, but he had decided to wait until the other did something to really piss him off. It wouldn't do to attack a classmate solely because he irritated Karma. That just wouldn't be fair to Terasaka.

"We're supposed to believe a weakling like you took on two third years?" Terasaka sneered from his desk. "As if!"

 _Weakling?_

The voice in his head giggled savagely. _That guy doesn't even know how close he is to the truth! You are weak, aren't you? Wasn't that what otou-san was always saying - you're weak, you need to be stronger, you need to be_ _ **better.**_ _Even a 3-E reject recognizes how pathetic you are! Well? Are you going to let him get away with it? Is that enough of a reason to show him how much of a_ _ **monster**_ _you are?_

Karma fought to keep the mania in his eyes, inwardly seething at the dumb brute's taunts. All he wanted to do was slam the idiot's head into the wall, but he managed to restrain himself. If he showed the jab irritated him, then he would only reveal a weakness. Better to portray perfect calm with a hint of madness to serve as a threat than to lose his cool. _I won't show you any of my weak spots. I'll observe yours, slowly, and then I'll strike at them all simultaneously. But not now. No, not now. I have to wait. Wait for the perfect time, the perfect moment._

Heads swiveled at the sound of a familiar chortle to see Korosensei entering the classroom, authentic Indian curry clutched in his tentacles. "What are you all so excited about?"

Before any moron could answer him, Karma interrupted. "Nothing." He smiled at his classmates as he stood up from his desk. While the sweet, innocent expression may have fooled any stranger, his countenance conveyed a clear threat - _keep your mouths shut or else._ "I'll be back in a sec," he said, making his way down the aisle of desks.

"Please return in time for class, Karma!" Korosensei called after him.

Karma waved a hand in acknowledgement, then ducked around the corner of the door and pressed his back against the wall - waiting, listening. In a moment or two, he heard exactly what he suspected when he withdrew from the room.

"Terasaka, Karma did indeed hospitalize two upperclassmen," Korosensei said, much to Karma's agitation. "But he failed to mention that he did so to defend the 3-E student those boys were bullying."

Mercury eyes narrowed in irritation. _Shut up, Korosensei!_ he wanted to yell. _Shut up! I don't want them to know about this. I want them to leave me_ _ **alone.**_ _They won't do that if they think I'm some defender of the weak. All they need to know is I beat people up. They don't need to know the why's. The don't even need to know there is a why! I'd rather they think I'm a psycho and avoid me. So_ _ **shut up!**_

He remained hidden outside the door as Korosensei continued.

"Karma wasn't suspended because of excessive violence, but rather who he chose to attack and who he was defending." Karma could hear Korosensei's audible sniffle. "What a tragic story! The heroic underdog banished by the corrupt officials for choosing to defend the powerless - how poetic!"

Karma's right eye twitched.

"In fact, most of Karma's transgressions had good reasons behind them. School records say he mainly fought bullies or other offenders **[3].** Most students would have been suspended and transferred solely on account of the violence earlier, but Karma was a special case. His teacher was probably hesitant to send the second ranked student to Class E."

Karma was inwardly screaming. _Are there no secrets in this class?! No boundaries, no lines, no privacy?! First, you tell them I had a somewhat decent reason for hospitalizing two upperclassmen. Then you tell them all my other violent acts had good reasons behind them. Now you tell them my ranking?! How am I supposed to act like a psycho when you just made me seem like an upstanding guy? I don't_ _ **want**_ _to be an upstanding guy; I don't want to be treated like a potential friend. I want to be_ _ **left alone,**_ _and if showing off my sadistic side gets them to avoid me, I'm perfectly happy to amp up the mania! I can't do that if you go and justify every offense that made me a delinquent! I don't need friends; I don't want friends._ _ **Stop trying to help,**_ **Korosensei![4]**

He glared at the floorboards as the students fell silent. Perhaps they were contemplating Korosensei's words, perhaps they were analyzing Karma's behavior, perhaps they were struggling to reconcile the twisted personality he had shown them with the defender of the weak Korosensei claimed he was - Karma wasn't sure. All he knew, all he thought, was _They better not treat me any differently. They better still avoid me. They better_ _ **leave me alone.**_

When no one spoke again, he abandoned his hiding spot. Lips twisted in a snarl as he made his out of the Class E building, disregarding the rain and sudden chill on his skin. Karma vaguely realized he had approximately fifteen minutes before class restarted, and he was determined to spend the remainder of that time in solitude. He plunged into the surrounding woods, not sparing a single thought to the mud being splattered on his shoes, or the uncomfortable feeling of his clothes being plastered to his body.

He would rather suffer through a hurricane than be subjected to the stares of his classmates.

Notes:

 **[1] Pluviophile: a lover of rain**  
 **[2] ¥1000 is about $10**  
 **[3] Please note that these are only the people Karma fought on school grounds. His fights with random delinquents after school are NOT justified in this. In his after school fights, Karma was looking for a fight on purpose. I just needed to clarify that point.**  
 **[4] I also need (more like want) to clarify this point. In this chapter, Karma has been in 3-E for maybe two weeks, and he has yet to make friends or interact with anyone. Basically, he's been in complete isolation. Korosensei, the fabulous teacher that he is, noticed that, and is trying to justify Karma's behavior to make his classmates warm up to him. He's concerned about whether Karma has any friends, and is trying to rectify that. Whether he was successful, well, you'll just have to see.**

 **Otou-san: Father**


	3. Chapter 3

Karma was confused - confused, and slightly irritated.

Ever since the unfortunate day that Korosensei had spilled the beans about Karma's suspension, his classmates kept trying to _talk_ to him. They invited him to sit with them at lunch, to partner up on projects, to study for quizzes, and just about every other excuse to interact with him. Each offer was rejected; every attempt at companionship rebuffed. Friends were unnecessary - Karma had survived this long without them, hadn't he? Even though Karma had suspected this would happen, he still didn't understand why they tried so persistently to get to know him. So far, Karma had only acted coldly with his classmates. The face he showed them was apathetic, sardonic, and wholly withdrawn. Why would _anyone_ want to be friendly with someone like that?

 _No one,_ Karma told himself, again and again. _I've crafted my mask perfectly; my walls are impenetrable. I just have to wait for the novelty to wear off. Sooner or later, they'll forget what Korosensei said and go back to ignoring me. Just stick it out a little longer. They're not really interested in_ _ **me**_ _\- they just find my circumstances intriguing. They'll get bored if I keep rejecting them. People are petty - constantly ignore them and they'll lose interest. It's not like I'm a very likable person, anyway._

But constantly rejecting people is hard, as Karma would soon discover.

* * *

Karma was halfway down the mountain when he heard someone shouting his name from behind. He reflexively peered over his shoulder at the sound and saw, to his surprise (and chagrin), three of his classmates quickly gaining on him. Karma recognized them - Shiota, Kayano, and Sugino - but he had no idea what they could be calling him for.

 _What do they want?_

He sighed, turning to face them as they finally caught up to him. "Yeah?" he questioned, securing his bag over his shoulder.

"We go the same way home, right?" Shiota asked. He seemed to be the leader of the small pack, since the other two stood behind him. Kayano and Sugino both seemed wary of Karma, noting his movements with distrustful eyes. He couldn't exactly blame them, though. He'd gone out of his way to project the image of being someone nobody wanted to mess with. Not that anyone really tried to mess with him - Karma tended to stay in the background. He only brought out the menacing persona when people tried to get into his business.

Karma nodded wordlessly in response.

"Let's walk home together!"

"Why?"

"We haven't really talked much since you asked about Korosensei," Shiota said shyly. "I just thought it'd be fun, you know?"

 _Is this guy for real? We talked for, what, ten minutes? I distinctly remember being very standoffish during that ten minutes! Not exactly the kind of person someone would want to walk home with, that's for sure. What game is he playing? If he's hoping to get my help on an assassination plan, well, he's got another thing coming._

"I don't think-"

"Oh, c'mon!" Kayano interrupted, stepping up beside Karma and teasingly punching his arm. She seemed to have recovered from her initial distrust faster than Sugino, who still stood behind Nagisa. "You're always brooding in the corner. It won't hurt to smile a little and hang out with your classmates!"

Karma scowled. "I don't _brood._ "

"Oh, of course not," she agreed, rolling her eyes. "You just sit by yourself, stare off into space, and refuse to do anything with the rest of the class. That's not brooding," she said sarcastically, eye alight with a mixture of sympathy and amusement. "So are you coming or not?"

 _Not,_ Karma wanted desperately to say. _I don't want to walk with you, talk with you, hang out with you, or do anything with you! I've made my preference for solitude very clear, so why are you still trying?_

 _That's right,_ the voice hissed inside his mind. _You do hate being around people. Scared, aren't you? Scared they'll see how weak you are, how pathetic you are, how worthless you are. They'd run for the hills as soon as they saw the real you, wouldn't they? Your own parents hate you - what makes you think anybody else would be any different? You're hopeless! Nobody would ever want to be your friend, you hear me? Nobody!_

 ** _Shut up._**

Maybe it was his desire to prove the voice wrong, or maybe it was that he felt completely indifferent. Maybe, just maybe, it was the resurfacing of a childlike need to be _seen,_ to be _wanted,_ to be _noticed_ by someone, by _anyone._ Maybe somewhere deep, deep down he really _did_ want friends, or as close to friends as he could get. Whatever the reason, he stupidly, impulsively, _pathetically_ answered, "Yes, I'm coming."

Kayano and Shiota beamed up at him in response, and Sugino's eyebrows raised in surprise. He felt a traitorous flush rising on his cheeks, despite the impassive expression he usually maintained, and turned to resume his walk down the mountain.

"You coming?" he asked, his voice only slightly higher than normal.

Boisterous agreement met his question. Shiota joined him on one side, Kayano on the other, and Sugino trailed behind.

 _Maybe this isn't so bad,_ Karma mused to himself as Kayano and Shiota began to chatter about the homework for the day, Sugino occasionally chiming in. _I can deal with this._

Of course, Karma had no idea he would very soon be forced to reconsider.

* * *

"Hey, Akabane?"

Karma glanced over at Shiota. He'd remained silent for most of the walk, and he felt a little surprised to be addressed so suddenly. "What?"

"You let Korosensei call you by your first name, right?"

"Yeah."

"Can we call you that, too?"

He shrugged. "I guess."

Shiota grinned at him. "Cool! You can call me Nagisa."

"Okay."

 _Have I ever been on first-name basis with anyone besides nii-chan?_ Karma wondered to himself. _I don't think so. I mean, I might have called a few kids by their first name in elementary school, but after that . . . Huh. I guess I haven't called anyone besides Gakushuu their first name since then._

"So, Karma," Nagisa tried the name out, "why do you wear the black blazer instead of the school-issued one?"

"Huh?" He glanced down, processing the question and filtering through excuses he could give. "Oh, I just like this one better."

Well, as excuses went, worse ones existed. It's not like he _lied._ He really did like the black blazer better - he just didn't wear it solely on account of fashion. He'd switched his standard-issue gray blazer for it back in his first year. He'd realized he and Gakushuu looked much too similar when they both wore the gray uniform, so he'd opted to fix that in the only way he could. Not a perfect fix, maybe - if someone put him and Gakushuu side by side they still looked alike - but at least they no longer resembled each other as closely.

Karma had also been trying to catch his mother's attention. He'd hoped the school would call her about the dress code violation and she would call him about it, but nothing had happened. The teachers scolded him about it half-heartedly, told him they'd called his mother about it, but they let it go pretty quickly. His mother never mentioned it. He'd expected that, of course, but it still frustrated him back then.

Sugino sighed from behind them. "Well, if anyone can get away with breaking school rules, I guess it would be you. Man, I still can't believe you're ranked second!"

Karma twisted his head around to glare at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He felt slightly surprised Sugino mentioned it. He'd been expecting the class to ask him about it after Korosensei blabbed, but nobody had. Even when they tried to talk to him or invite him to do things, nobody ever brought up his ranking or his suspension. He'd been relieved at first, but his annoyance over his classmates bugging him about other things quickly overshadowed any sense of satisfaction.

"Nothing!" Sugino said hurriedly, waving his hands around in a nervous manner. "I just . . . you don't seem like the academic type, you know? Like, caring about grades and stuff doesn't really suit you."

"I don't care," Karma said stiffly, turning his head back to face forward. "School is easy."

 _Liar, liar!_ the voice sang out jeeringly. _Don't want them to know how stupid you are, huh? Don't want them to know about the hours you spend pouring over textbooks, trying desperately to raise your scores? Why haven't you beaten Gakushuu if school is so easy? Why aren't you number one yet? What, you want them to think you're a genius or something?_ The voice shrieked laughter in his head. _Tell them! Tell them your big brother is the genius, not you! Never you!_

"Unbelievable," Sugino said, exasperated. "What planet is this guy from?"

Kayano and Nagisa burst into quiet laughter.

Karma rolled his eyes, adjusting his bag on his shoulder. He stopped short, though, when Nagisa let out a gasp. He turned to see the problem and saw Nagisa's attention fixed on Karma's hand. Nagisa grabbed at it, twisting it around and examining it.

"What happened to your hand, Karma? It looks horrible!"

Karma couldn't blame him for his reaction. His hand _did_ look horrible - scars, callouses, and fresh bruises from recent fights riddled his knuckles, contrasting starkly with his pale skin. He usually kept his hands hidden underneath his desk or in his sleeves so nobody would see, but he never counted on people seeing _outside_ of school. The hand Nagisa held, his right hand, held the most damage, considering it was his dominant.

"Just some fights. Don't worry about it."

His skin tingled uncomfortably where Nagisa touched. Karma wanted desperately to yank his hand away, to stop the burning sensation that spread throughout his arm and left him tense and anxious. He restrained himself, though. Something about the loss of warm contact made him feel even more uneasy, so he allowed Nagisa to continue his examination. _When was the last time someone touched me? When did I last feel someone else's skin on mine? I hit that guy last week and he hit me back. Does that count? Mr. Akabane patted my back a while back. How long ago was that? That must have been at least three weeks ago . . ._

"Dude, that's not just _some_ _fights_ ," Sugino said, peering over Nagisa's shoulder to catch a glimpse. "It looks like you picked a fight with a wall or something."

 _You're not wrong._ When Karma got especially frustrated with school, his parents, his failed assassination attempts, he usually sought out some delinquent to vent his frustrations upon. When he couldn't do that, however, his bedroom wall suffered the brunt of his anger. That didn't happen very often, though. He could usually find a delinquent; he just took things a little too far and punched a little too hard.

"Okay, a lot of fights. What's the big deal?"

They stared at him.

Sugino sighed. "Maybe just . . . wrap your knuckles before punching people, all right?"

Karma frowned. "Okay?" he said hesitantly.

 _These people are weird._

* * *

After a while, the strained silence between them shifted back to lighthearted chatter. Karma mostly stayed out of it, but occasionally they managed to pique his interest when they discussed assassination, midterms, or potential Korosensei blackmail. He would then respond, hesitantly at first, then gradually with more confidence. He thought he might even be _enjoying_ the companionship, much to his surprise. _A nice change from the usual silent walk home,_ he mused to himself. _Or from the violence I usually stir up._

Of course, fate was nothing if not incredibly sadistic, especially when Karma managed some semblance of peace.

The thought had barely finished forming in Karma's head when he heard a loud, gruff voice calling, " _Oi,_ brat!"

 _Strange,_ Karma thought. _That voice sounds almost familiar._

He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, turning to where the voice sounded from while ignoring the questioning looks from the other three. Mercury eyes landed on two boys, high school students by the looks of them, leering at him from the alley to his left. Karma couldn't place them, but something about their scowls seemed vaguely familiar - like he'd seen them in a dream, or a hallucination. The two high-schoolers seemed to have no trouble identifying _him,_ though.

"It _is_ him, see?" the first said, elbowing his companion harshly in the side. "I told you I'd seen that hair before!"

His companion grumbled. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. You're a genius, now shut up."

Karma cocked his head, fists itching for a fight, but mind warning him _you're not alone this time. Don't go dragging them into a fistfight._ "You need something?"

"Eh? You don't remember us?"

"He was pretty out of it when we got to him."

"Hmph. You went psycho on a pal of ours, ring any bells?"

Karma's grin went razor-sharp. "I go psycho on a lot of people. You'll have to be more specific."

"Yeah? Well, how's this for specific: you beat down our buddy, we grabbed you and beat _you_ down, and you laughed the whole way through. Remember us now?"

Karma could feel the ripple of surprise that went through his classmates behind him, but they remained silent.

The first boy snickered. "You were a real freak, you know? We pounded on you _forever,_ and you just laid there laughing that crazy laugh. I thought you had a few screws loose."

Any resolution of avoiding a fight flew straight out the window. Oh, Karma remembered them now. Inaudible screaming, desperation, punching, _that's nice dear,_ adrenaline pounding in his ears, _do you see me do you see me do you see me_ \- the memory of one of the worst days of his life flashed before his eyes, and Karma _hated it._ These two had just dragged up a memory he'd spent a year and a half repressing, and they were going to regret it _dearly_.

"You know," Karma said, stepping forward into the alley and letting his bag drop to the ground. "I _do_ remember you now. Who could forget your ugly mug?"

The delinquent snarled. "You damn brat-"

"So, how about a rematch?" Karma fixed his lips into a sly smile. "I'll even let it be two-on-one, so it's fair."

The second teenager cracked his knuckles threateningly. "You're gonna regret this, you crazy bastard."

 _Maybe, but I'm going to do it anyway._

"Karma, I don't think you should do this," came Nagisa's urgent voice.

He shot a glare over his shoulder. "Stay back, got it? This is my fight." Karma turned back to the two high-schoolers, spreading his arms wide open. "I'm ready when you are, idiots."

One stepped forward, fast, arm shooting out even faster. His fist landed squarely on Karma's cheek, face alight with a savage throb of pain. Karma twisted his head to the side, spitting out a clot of blood, before turning back to his attacker.

His teeth flashed in a scarlet-stained taunting grin. "That it?"

The boy's face contorted with barely contained fury. "Not even close."

Then they both ganged together against him, and Karma focused all his attention on the fight. He didn't really fight back - not at first, anyway. He allowed their hits to land, but only on his face. His nose, his mouth, his temple, his cheek - they all received the brunt of the other's rage. He managed to sidestep and dodge most of the blows aimed for his stomach, but a few connected. Karma sneaked in a few sucker punches here and there - well-placed hits he knew would be sore in the morning - but he mainly concentrated on directing all the damage to his face.

 _Don't lose control,_ he told himself. _There's an audience this time. You can't lose it in front of these people. Don't let them see the monster, the freak, the psycho you are. Keep taking hits like you normally do, but no freaking out after. You can't take this one as far as you usually do._

The violent dance lasted only a few minutes, but to Karma it seemed endless. Hits rained down on his face from two opponents, his face bruising purple and blood trickling into his mouth and his nose and his eyes.

 _That should be enough._

Karma grinned suddenly at the two boys, lips stretching wide in a twisted, morbid sort of delight. "Let's finish this, okay?"

The second boy's eyes flashed. "You little-"

Karma surged forward, palm planted firmly on the other's face, sweeping the boy off his feet and forcing him to the ground. The high-schooler let out a groan of pain, but remained still, so Karma figured he was down for the count. He turned to the other boy, cracking his neck from side to side, ignoring the raw ache in his face that clouded his thoughts and dulled his concentration.

"Your turn?"

The teen tried to stutter out a denial, tried to save himself from the doom he knew approached, but Karma harbored no merciful feelings for him. _They_ had started this fight, and Karma would be the one to finish it. _This isn't over until I win._

Karma tutted disapprovingly. "You wanted to fight, didn't you? I'm all warmed up now - don't keep me waiting."

"I'm sorry! I swear it won't happen again!"

"Too late."

Karma lunged forward, fury written in his eyes and mania painted on his smile. One hand wrapped itself tightly around the boy's neck, cutting off the supply of oxygen. The other drew _back, back,_ _back,_ and crashed against the boy's temple with enough force to send his eyes lolling back in his sockets. The high-schooler slumped to the ground, still being held up by Karma's grip on his throat. Karma relinquished his grasp, kicking the unconscious dead-weight away from him and onto the dirty concrete.

The violent surge of adrenaline had begun to fade. His fists itched to continue the fight, to find another opponent to work his frustrations out on, but he knew he couldn't. The dull ache in his face had morphed into a savage throb that refused to be ignored. Trickles of blood stung at his eyes, his ears rang, and his left eye had begun to swell shut. The harsh stabs of pain in his head hinted at a concussion, and the shaking of his legs added to the theory.

 _You really did it this time,_ the voice mocked. _Just can't stand to look anything like him, can you? You're gonna kill yourself someday if you keep fighting like that. Stupid boy, no amount of bruises will hide the truth!_

 ** _Shut up._**

"Karma?"

 _Oh, right. I have company._

He managed to turn back to the group despite his trembling knees, offering a small smile he suspected looked more grotesque than reassuring. "Sorry about that. You okay?"

Nagisa looked at him in disbelief. "I think we should be asking you that."

"Fine, fine!" he managed through gritted teeth. "Let's go." Karma meant to step forward, but his leg muscles had other ideas. His knees buckled, and he barely managed to catch himself against the alley wall before he collapsed next to his unconscious victims. His head protested the jolt of movement with a sharp, intense jab of pain that made nausea bubble violently inside his gut. _Dammit,_ he hissed at himself. _Why do you have to be so weak?_

Sugino appeared next to him. "You are so _not_ okay."

"I just need a minute," Karma mumbled. He forced air in and out of his lungs, trying desperately to calm the raging pain inside his head and quell the nausea.

A hand appeared in Karma's line of sight. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

He shot an incredulous look at Sugino, saw the other appeared completely serious, and sighed. "Two."

The hand disappeared. "Good. But you're still not gonna be able to walk home alone."

"I said I'm _fine._ "

"Now is not the time for your macho crap. Just . . . put your arm around my shoulder and try not to be too difficult, all right?"

"Whatever."

Karma didn't know for sure, but he imagined Sugino rolled his eyes at that.

Sugino, despite his annoyed words, wrapped Karma's arm around his shoulder with unexpected gentleness. He stood slowly, dragging Karma up with him. Karma stomach lurched at the movement, but thankfully nothing embarrassing happened. _Please don't puke on him,_ Karma begged his stomach. _Please don't._

"Karma, you take the same train as me, right?" Nagisa questioned.

"Yeah."

"Okay! I can help you with Karma. Did you want to go home?" Nagisa directed the last question to Kayano, who had remained silent throughout the ordeal.

"Oh, no!" Kayano sounded affronted at the suggestion. "I'm coming, too. I want to make sure this idiot doesn't do anything stupid."

If Karma had full control over his faculties, the remark might have offended him. As it was, he just felt extremely annoyed.

"You guys are over exaggerating," grumbled Karma. "I'm just a little dizzy."

" _Just a little dizzy,_ he says," Sugino mimicked, shifting to take on more of Karma's weight as they began to slowly walk out of the alley and towards the station. "You're unbelievable."

"You do look pretty bad, Karma." piped Nagisa

"Yeah, your face is all gross and bleeding!" added Kayano, unnecessarily.

"I don't think I deserve this right now."

"You _deserve_ to have some sense pounded into that thick skull of yours," Sugino said. "What were you thinking? I don't care how _tough_ or _manly_ you are - you don't go picking fights with guys that big! They're twice your size!"

"They are _not._ Besides, they picked a fight with _me._ "

"Maybe not height-wise, but dude, you're _skinny._ "

"Shut up."

"And don't pull that _they picked a fight with me_ crap, either! You're the one who asked for a rematch or whatever."

"Shut _up_."

Kayano and Nagisa snickered, Sugino huffed, and Karma fought against the pain in his head and the urge to smile.

 _Is this how friends work?_

* * *

Karma's legs had decided to cooperate again by the time they reached Karma's house. The nausea had faded too, leaving only an uneasy feeling in his stomach for the most part. Sugino - reluctantly - let him walk unaided, but Karma noticed he walked closely behind him. _I'm not gonna fall,_ Karma grumbled to himself. _You guys are worrying too much._

Some small, distant part of him secretly liked the attention, but Karma squashed it mercilessly beneath his heel.

"Well," he said, when they stood before Karma's house. "Thanks for the help, but-"

"Nope," interrupted Kayano. "I'm-" she glared at Nagisa and Sugino- " _We're_ not leaving until your parents get home."

 _You'll be waiting quite a while then,_ the voice said snidely. _They only left two days ago. Usually they're gone for at least a week._

Karma ignored it.

He plastered an easygoing grin on his face. "Ah, they're on a business trip."

The three of them exchanged looks, and Karma tried not to feel too annoyed.

"It's just you?" Sugino questioned.

"Yup!" chirped Karma, eyes bright, smile cheerful, and heart twisted into knots.

Kayano sighed. "C'mon, I want to make sure you get to your room okay."

Karma scoffed, but the pointed look she gave him silenced any complaints he might have given.

 _She doesn't even know she's older than me, but she's still bossing me around. What a pain._

The three of them followed him through his house and upstairs to his room, where he opened to door in a dramatic flourish.

"Ta da!" he said, gesturing widely with his arm, ignoring the spike of pain it sent through his skull. He made his way towards his bed, sitting down gingerly so as not to agitate his head any further. The others followed him inside, standing awkwardly around the room.

Karma would never admit it aloud, but a small part of him felt nervous. _I've never had anybody besides okaa-san and my stepfather inside here. What do I say? Do I tell them to leave now? Do I offer food? Drinks? Do I make small talk? How do people do this all the time? It's exhausting!_

Apparently, Kayano knew how to handle the situation better than he did.

"Karma, do you have a first aid kit?"

He blinked. "Yeah, in the bathroom. Check behind the mirror."

"Thanks!" She disappeared into the bathroom, and he heard the clutter of objects being shifted around before she reappeared. Kayano tossed a wet washcloth that she must have found by his sink at him, and it landed with a _plop!_ on his lap.

"Wash the blood off your face," she commanded.

Karma blinked again, but complied.

Things carried on like that. She ordered him to do something - wash his face, apply that ointment there, put a bandage here - and he did so. When he'd been doctored to her satisfaction, she stood back and looked very pleased with herself.

"Well," Kayano said, "As long as you don't do anything tremendously stupid, you should be fine. I think you only have a mild concussion, but you should probably stay home from school tomorrow."

He opened his mouth to protest, but she silenced him with a vicious glare. Karma's mouth clicked shut.

"Someone will bring your schoolwork tomorrow, okay? Just take it easy for a while."

"Yeah, whatever," he grumbled out.

She grinned at him, completely unaffected, and moved to leave. Nagisa and Sugino followed, both wishing him luck on his recovery.

"Kayano!" he called, before she could fully exit the room.

She turned, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

Karma fiddled with his hands, but met her eyes resolutely. "Thanks," he said. Glancing at Nagisa and Sugino, he amended his statement. "All of you. I, uh." A dark flush crept into his complexion, dying his cheeks the color of his hair. "I really appreciate it. Sorry for the trouble."

 _Weak, weak, weak!_ the voice chanted.

"No problem!"

"It's cool."

"You're welcome!"

Karma smiled, they waved, and then he was alone.

* * *

Hours later, when he stared sleeplessly at the ceiling, he pondered the day's events in his head. _They didn't have to walk home with me. They didn't have to stay for the fight. They didn't have to help me home. They didn't have to make sure I was okay. So why did they? I can't see how that benefited them. My trust isn't worth that kind of inconvenience, so why did they go through all that trouble just to help me?_

Karma hummed softly to himself.

 ** _They really are weird._**


	4. Chapter 4

_C'mon, stupid,_ Karma told himself, pencil tapping anxiously against his practice worksheet. _You can do better than that._

A loud noise interrupted his concentration. Karma leaned back in his desk chair with a sigh, lazily blowing his bangs out of his eyes. His cellphone blared his ringtone from its position on his bed, and he rolled his eyes at the obnoxious sound. He debated letting it go straight to voicemail, but a stupid, naive, hopefully _irritating_ corner of his brain begged him to answer. _It could be her,_ it whispered. _What if she wants to talk to you? What if she wants to ask about midterms, or your new class, or even just her trip?_

 _Unlikely,_ Karma thought, but he stood and moved to answer the phone anyway.

He checked the Caller ID before accepting the call and felt no surprise whatsoever when it read as _stepdad._ Lips tugged downwards into a bitter frown, he answered the phone.

"Yeah?" he sighed, sitting gingerly on his bed. Over a week had passed since his fight/revenge/injury/humiliation, and while his stomach no longer churned with every movement, his head still ached something fierce whenever he jarred it excessively. The last thing he needed during midterms was a pounding headache, and Karma had been doing everything within his power to avoid one.

 _"Karma!"_ came the bright voice of Mr. Akabane, the loud sound startling a flinch from Karma. _"How have you been?"_

He stared incredulously at his bedroom wall. _Angry,_ he wanted to say. _Confused. Hurt. Frustrated. Lonely. Bored. Tired. Sore. Annoyed. Stressed. Anxious._

"Fine," he said.

 _"That's good! How are your studies coming along?"_

"Great," he replied tonelessly. "Highest marks in my class."

 _"Wonderful! You're not letting your suspension get to you, are you? I know it must be rough in that kind of environment, but keep your grades up and you'll be back to Class A in no time!"_

"I'm fine," he repeated. "It really doesn't bother me."

 _"Well, as long as you're sure."_

"How's your trip?" asked Karma, anxious to change the subject.

Mr. Akabane complied _. "Amazing! I swear, India gets more beautiful every time we come here. You should join us some time, Karma! We could take a family vacation over the summer or something."_

 _I doubt it._

"That's cool. Are you still planning on coming back this weekend?"

 _"Ah, about that . . ."_ His stepfather sounded nervous, and Karma braced himself for whatever came next. _"I don't think we'll make it back then. Your mom was talking about going to see Niagara Falls during its peak season. We're thinking that we'll stay there for a few weeks, so we probably won't be home until mid-June or so."_

Karma glanced at the calendar hung on his wall. _Last week of May now,_ he mused. _They haven't been here since the first week of May, and even then only for a few days. Mid-June means about three weeks - three weeks of oppressive silence, packaged ramen, and fists pounded into walls. How terribly exciting._

 _"Only if you're okay with that, of course!"_ Mr. Akabane said hurriedly, as if Karma might be offended by the casual disregard of his feelings.

 _Like I'm not used to that._

Karma's mouth tasted sour, and he struggled to speak around the lead weight of his tongue. "Sounds cool," he managed. "Send me a postcard or something."

 _"Definitely!"_ Mr. Akabane said, relieved. _"How did midterms go?"_

"They haven't started yet," came the bland response. "First day is tomorrow."

 _"Right. Well, good luck!"_

"Thanks."

 _"Oh, your moms needs me. I have to go, Karma."_

"Okay."

 _"I'll send money soon - and that postcard! Don't study too hard. Remember to take breaks and relax."_

"Sure."

 _"Bye, Karma!"_

"See you."

 _Click._

Tossing his cellphone aside angrily, Karma returned to his desk and practice worksheet, brow furrowed in frustration at his stepfather's words. _Don't study too hard,_ he scoffed. _What kind of advice is that? Does he_ _ **want**_ _me to fail?_

Karma's jaw clenched. _I won't fail. I won't. I'm going to beat Gakushuu and prove I'm worthy._

 _Funny,_ the voice snickered inside his head. _Who are you trying to convince here - you or me? Lost your confidence, hm?_

 ** _Shut up._**

Karma closed his eyes and breathed deeply through his nose - _one, two, three_ \- then let the air out in a puff from his mouth. He picked his pencil back up, turning back to his worksheet, face blank and eye cold. _This time,_ he repeated to himself, _this time I'll beat him for sure._

He wished it sounded more convincing.

* * *

Karma strolled into the main campus classroom, chin tilted up in feigned arrogance and a lazy smirk plastered on his face. His classmates around him oozed anxiety, and inwardly he scoffed. _Idiots,_ he wanted to say. _Don't show an ounce of fear. These guys will gobble you up without hesitation if you act like a pack of scared rabbits. It doesn't matter if it's fake - at least_ _ **pretend**_ _you're confident. It's not like anybody will see through it._

Karma moved towards the back, shooting a vicious glare at Ono-Sensei as he passed. The older man squirmed at the manic gleam Karma knew lit his eyes, and a petty sense of satisfaction rushed through him at the man's visible discomfort.

 _See?_ he wanted to crow. _These people are nothing. They're not better than us; he's not better than_ ** _me._**

So Karma sat in a vacant desk, grinned mockingly at Ono-Sensei, and waited for exams to begin.

* * *

 _100 in Math, 100 in Science, 99 in Social Studies, 99 in English, and 99 in Japanese - what a joke! How are you going to compete against Gakushuu with this pathetic attempt?_

Trembling fingers buried themselves harshly into scarlet locks, nails digging painfully into Karma's scalp. The voice in his head urged him to rip the hair out - _don't look like him at all, don't leave any reminders of him, tear them out tear them out tear them out_ \- but he ignored it. He couldn't focus on his loathing towards his appearance right then; he only cared about his loathing towards his _stupid, pathetic, humiliating_ scores.

 _Two points!_ he screamed at himself, collapsing to the ground with his back against a tree in the forest. _Two freaking points! What happened to all my ties? What happened to all my preparations? Why isn't it ever enough?! Am I just too stupid to remember_ _ **anything?!**_ _Korosensei is the best teacher I've ever had, and I can't even_ _ **tie**_ _with Gakushuu? He taught me so much, but I must be too incompetent to get anything right! What is_ _ **wrong**_ _with me?_

Tears stung in his eyes as he gritted his teeth angrily. He pushed further into the tree trunk, reveling in the pain the rough bark caused as it dug into his back and left bruises. _She'll never love me like this! He'll never see me like this! What would otou-san say to me right now? Pathetic weakling, useless imbecile, worthless son? Ha! I'm probably not even worth the effort of an insult! Would he just look down on me with those cold, disappointed eyes? Well, disappointment implies expectations, and I know he never had any for me. Maybe I have lived up to his lack of expectations, then. No results, no victories, nothing to show for myself. Was he right? Am I really just a back-up, a just-in-case, an alternate for Gakushuu? How am I supposed to prove him wrong when I can't even prove it to myself?_

 _Pathetic failure,_ he hissed. _That's what I am. I've had so many chances, so much time, so much incentive! I've spent every day studying, every class period cramming facts and techniques into my head. The teachers are without fault; the textbooks are blameless. That only leaves one explanation for my failures: me. I'm the weak link, the common denominator, the defective student. If even Korosensei can't turn me into a winner, then I really am hopeless. He poured so much effort into our class, and I completely failed him. Dammit, I keep_ _ **failing**_ _everyone! Otou-san, Gakushuu, okaa-san, Mr. Akabane, Korosensei - the list goes on and on! Why am I so freaking useless?!_

Karma's head fell back against the tree with a low _thump!_ Tired lids hid mercury eyes from the world, but no tears fell. The voice in his head had remained suspiciously quiet during his fit, and it made no taunts now, either.

There was nothing it could say to him that he hadn't already.

* * *

Surrounded by his dejected classmates, Karma tried desperately not to scowl at his papers and show how frustrated he felt. _Can't freak out again. Not in front of them._

"This is my fault," Korosensei said quietly. "It seems I took this school's system too lightly. I can't bring myself to face you."

Karma's fist clenched, nails digging crescents into his palm as he glared at Korosensei's back. _You can't, huh? All that talk about possessing a second weapon, about having confidence in ourselves, about overcoming our inferiority - all that talk, and now you just give up?! You have no right! You raised our hopes; you gave us confidence. You're not allowed to give up on us just because we failed once! You have to see us - to see_ _ **me.**_ _I'll never get any better if you leave. You're being_ _ **weak,**_ _Korosensei. Stop being such a pushover and FIGHT BACK!_

He stood, pasting a condescending grin on his face, and launched his anti- _sensei_ knife at the teacher's bulbous head. He dodged it - _of course he did_ \- with a startled gasp, whipping around to face Karma directly.

 _Much better._

"You sure?" Karma drawled mockingly, making his way down the aisle of desks and towards Korosensei. "If you couldn't face us, then you wouldn't be able to see me coming to kill you."

"Karma!" Korosensei scolded, voice loud and frustrated. " _Sensei_ is feeling very depressed right now-"

Karma interrupted his tirade by tossing his results into the air, fully confident the teacher would catch them. _Not good enough to beat Gakushuu-nii, not good enough to get her to love me, not good enough to get him to see me - but it should be good enough for them._

"Even if the questions change, it makes no difference to me," Karma declared, a carefully crafted expression of determination overtaking his features as he watched in secret delight Korosensei reading over his papers in shock.

Karma heard his classmates awestruck whispers, but he ignored them. _This is nothing,_ he wanted to insist. _This is a failure. Why are you impressed with this? I'm not number one; I'm not the best. This is only a petty victory._

"Judging by my results," he continued, "It's because you taught me to such an unnecessary extent."

 _And because I studied my ass off,_ he added mentally. _But they don't need to know that._

"So, what are you gonna do?" Karma challenged. "Everyone didn't make it into the top 50 spots, so are you gonna run away with your tail between your legs, like you said you would?" Karma leaned forward, smirk wide and vicious as he purred his words like poison. "When it comes down to it, aren't you just afraid of being killed?"

He leaned away, content with allowing the class to assume the reins. Karma watched in satisfaction as the students poked fun at Korosensei, running with his previous taunt of being scared. _No running away, Korosensei._

 _We still have a lot to learn, so I won't let you be a coward.[1]_

* * *

Karma chewed his lip anxiously as he shuffled down the mountain, a debate raging internally inside his head. _He's an excellent teacher - the best I've ever had, actually. If anyone can help raise my scores, it's him._

 _Yeah?_ the voice sneered back. _Then why are you still in second place? You were only a point behind Gakushuu in Class A - now you're two points behind! How is that progress?_

 _He's been teaching me for less than a month. If I stay, he can help me do better next time!_

 _Next time?_ the voice scoffed. _It's always next time with you._

 _He's a super-creature! How can I_ _ **not**_ _improve under him?_

 _What about those classmates of yours?_

One sharp canine punctured his lip, drawing a trickle of blood to the surface.

 _They keep pushing at you. If you're not careful, they'll uncover things you'd rather stay hidden._ _You need to go back to Class A. They'll leave you to yourself. Things were better then, weren't they? No annoying small talk, no prying classmates with uncomfortable questions - you could just hide in your corner and observe._

 _But . . ._

 _Oh, don't tell me you_ _ **like**_ _them! When did you go so soft, huh?_

 _I don't! They're just . . . interesting._

 _You're a lonely, pathetic child! Who cares if you don't have friends? You need to go back to Class A so you can be the best!_

 _I don't think I can be the best there!_

 _And you think you'll be the best surrounded by freaks and losers?_

 _I . . . I don't know._

"Akabane!" called a familiar voice, interrupting his ruminations.

Karma froze for a split second, eyes flicking around to confirm the absence of any potential spectators. When he had, the tension in his shoulders eased and he turned to grin at the newcomer standing at the foot of the mountain.

" _Nii-chan,_ " he purred. "What a surprise. Did you miss me?" he asked, eyelashes batting teasingly.

Gakushuu rolled his eyes, scowling fiercely at him. "Shut up and come here. I want to talk to you."

Karma hummed in response, slowing his trek down the path to a snail's pace. "So rude," he murmured.

He imagined steam whistling out Gakushuu's ears and had to bite back a snicker.

Even as he walked, seemingly languid and nonchalant, his mind raced. _Why is he here? What does he want? Stupid question - I know exactly why he's here. It's still surprising, though. I didn't think he'd ambush me so quickly. Doesn't he care that people from school might see us? Well, I guess he could just play it off as us being former classmates. Has he seen the scores yet?_ Karma scoffed inwardly at himself. _Of course he's seen the scores. This is Gakushuu - he probably saw them before everybody else. How should I play this? Do I tell him? Do I lie? Will he care?_

He reached Gakushuu before he was even close to prepared, but he managed a carefree grin.

"Come on," his brother commanded him - _like one of his minions_ \- turning to leave without ever doubting Karma would follow.

Karma scowled fiercely at his back, but hurried after him anyway. "Where are we going?" he asked, tone chipper and bright grin reapplied.

"Somewhere private."

"Oh? Are you planning to kill me?"

"I will if you keep talking like that. It's irritating."

"You're so mean to your little brother, _nii-chan._ Really, you're hurting my feelings here."

"I think you'll survive," he said drily.

Karma huffed in irritation, but remained silent the rest of the walk. His brother obviously had no plans to discuss the subject until they reached whatever destination he had in mind, so Karma would simply have to wait.

Gakushuu led them to a park near Kunugigaoka - one the two boys had often frequented in their childhood. While seemingly deserted now, it had been the background for many happy memories. Seeing it void of life and dilapidated, Karma vaguely wondered if the park could be a metaphor for his family, but quickly disregarded the notion. _Now isn't the time to be poetic._

Snapshots of a past life flashed before Karma's eyes and left him feeling unsteady: Gakushuu pushing him on the swings, their mother watching from the bench; pretend sword-fighting with branches; racing down the slide; digging for treasure in the sandpit. A convoluted mixture of irritation and longing gripped Karma's heart, but he made no mention of recognition or approval. If Gakushuu felt any attachment towards the old park, he refused to show it. _Did you come here after?_ Karma wondered. _Do you even remember pushing me on those swings? Going down the slide together? Falling from the monkey bars? Climbing the trees? Do you even care?_

Karma set his schoolbag down, sitting carefully on a rickety swing. He kicked at the well-worn dirt beneath absentmindedly, the swing creaking alarmingly. "Well?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow. "We're in private. What did you want to talk about?"

Gakushuu chose to remain standing. _Probably so he can loom over me._ "You know exactly what."

 _Called it,_ Karma thought miserably. _What's my prize?_

"Sorry," he denied, shrugging. "I really don't."

"I saw your scores on the midterms," his brother said, straight to the point. "When will you be back in Class A?"

Karma bit into his lip anxiously, and that one action betrayed him.

"You can't be serious," Gakushuu blanched. "You're actually thinking about _staying?"_

Karma scowled, eyes fixed on the ground. "I might be."

 _"Why?"_

"None of your business."

Gakushuu had begun to pace, gesturing frantically with his hands. "This is ridiculous. This is _ridiculous._ Despite your delinquent reputation, you're still a top student! You have a _future,_ Karma, you can't afford to frolic around with the bottom feeders of Class E. What about high school? What about university? Do you really want _Class E Delinquent_ on your record? Have you even considered the consequences of your actions? You have the potential and talent for greatness, why are you trying to waste it?"

Karma kicked at the dirt harder. "I'm not _wasting_ anything," he mumbled, fists clenching tighter around the swing's chains.

"Of course you are! Every minute you spend around that _contamination_ is a waste!" Gakushuu gripped his hair in frustration, and Karma tried not to flinch at the similarity between them. "I can't understand why you would even consider remaining in that class of idiots and rejects! You're not like them." Gakushuu turned to Karma, eyes pleading. "You belong with the elites - you're an _Asano."_

Karma stared blankly at his brother, anger steadily rising. "No, I'm not. Haven't you been paying attention? My last name is _Akabane_ now, and I'm sure both _otou-san_ and _okaa-san_ want to keep it that way. And those _idiots_ and _rejects_ , as you so eloquently put it, are ten times better than _any_ of your mindless worshippers."

Gakushuu's expression hardened, and his eyes turned cold. "That's it, then? You couldn't beat me, so now you're retreating to Class E with your tail between your legs? Ready to throw in the towel and concede defeat?"

"Not even," Karma snarled back. "I still plan on stealing your title, I'm just going to do it from Class E." Karma smirked, sharp and bitter. "That would really sting, wouldn't it? Your delinquent little brother, a Class E _bottom feeder_ , knocking you from your pedestal?" He winced exaggeratedly. " _Ouch._ "

Gakushuu glowered. "That'll never happen."

"I guess we'll see, won't we?" He stood from the swing, stretching exaggeratedly with an obnoxious sigh. "Nice chat, _nii-chan._ Let's do this again sometime, 'kay?" Karma retrieved his schoolbag, swinging it over his shoulder. He gave a jaunty wave over his shoulder towards Gakushuu before stuffing his hands inside his pockets, head angled down as he vacated the park.

 _I'm going to beat you, Gakushuu. And I'm going to do it from Class E._

 ** _I won't break this promise._**

* * *

The Nosy Trio, as Karma had mentally dubbed them, caught up to him rather quickly. He'd taken approximately thirty-two steps outside the park before he heard Sugino calling his name, which he pointedly ignored. He knew irritation still clouded his brain, so he silently prayed the three of them would leave him alone. He didn't particularly want to bite their heads off when they were only being kind. He'd rather avoid that kind of guilt, thank you.

No such luck.

"Hey, Karma!" Sugino said, swinging an arm around Karma's shoulder. "What's the deal? Someone said they saw you walk off with some main campus student."

Karma fixed him with a deadly glare as he wordlessly removed Sugino's arm from his shoulder. When he had, he stepped further away, increasing the distance between them. "Just a former classmate," he said icily. "He wanted to let me know how much of an idiot he thinks I am."

They must have sensed his foul mood, because they hurriedly changed the subject to outrageous assassination plans. Occasionally, Nagisa tried to draw Karma into the conversation by mentioning embarrassing secrets about Korosensei, but he eventually ceased when Karma responded only with monosyllables.

Finally, Kayano brought up what they must have been itching to ask the entire day. "So, Karma. You scored in the top fifty. Are you going back to the main campus?"

"No," he said.

They dropped it.


	5. Chapter 5

Karma scowled down at the screen of his cell phone, absentmindedly scuffing the toes of his shoes against the concrete as he walked to school. His mother and stepfather's smiling faces beamed up at him, arms wrapped around each other as they stood before Niagara Falls.

 _Wish you were here!_ it said.

He scoffed aloud as he read his stepfather's text. Stuffing his phone in his pocket, he bent his head to glare at the sidewalk.

 _That's a lie._

* * *

His classmates buzzed around him, chatting lightheartedly as Karma tapped his fingers against the wooden desk, staring off into space as he contemplated what to do after school. _I could get a manga at the convenience store, or I could buy a new game. Mine's almost finished. Maybe the arcade? No, I don't feel like being around loud noises. Should I go to a restaurant? No, I'd just be thinking about her. We used to go out as a family every year for this. . ._

Karma tapped particularly hard against his desk. A few people glanced over at the sound, but they ultimately ignored him.

 _Should I call her? She hasn't called for a while, but it_ _ **is**_ _her birthday today. Is she expecting me to? Does she_ _ **want**_ _me to? She usually tries to hang up as soon as possible, so maybe she'd prefer if I didn't call. Then she wouldn't have to be reminded about her crazy, failure of a son._

Karma sat, unaware of the dark, brooding look slowly appearing on his face. He usually kept his emotions well in check during class, but his thoughts so enamored him that his control had slipped. Students gave him a wide berth, unwilling to break his reverie and possibly incur his wrath.

 _I think I'll just get into a fight after class. It's probably been long enough since my head injury. Even if it's not, who cares? Maybe the adrenaline and pain will keep her completely out of my mind. Anything is better than remembering the past. I just won't take as many hits to the face. I can be careful, right? If I'm fighting, I won't have to be alone in that big house, remembering past birthdays and wishing for things to be like that again._

"Sonic Ninja?" came a voice, interrupting Karma's ruminations. "Oooh, it's that superhero flick! Tell us what you thought about it tomorrow."

Karma looked up, the brooding expression falling from his face, replaced by keen interest. _Sonic Ninja? That could be fun. A movie might be okay, especially if I can study Korosensei, too. This way I can avoid my house, and I won't get another headache. Yeah, this might work. I'll just ask him to take me with him after school._

 _Didn't Nagisa mention he likes Sonic Ninja?_

Karma glanced over at Nagisa and inwardly grinned at the expression on the other's face. Nagisa was also staring at Korosensei, and he also looked incredibly attentive.

 _Maybe he'll come, too. That could be fun._

Karma resumed his tapping, but with a much lighter conscience than before, even with the dark thoughts tugging at the back of his mind.

* * *

Karma approached Korosensei side by side with Nagisa, his face a mask of nonchalance, but inwardly thrumming with anticipation and desire. _Please take us with you. Please, Korosensei. I can't stomach sitting in that empty house, not today._

"Korosensei, please," Nagisa said earnestly, unknowing echoing Karma's thoughts. "Take us with you, too. We want to see that movie."

"Oh?" Korosensei asked. "You like that sort of thing?"

"I love it!" Nagisa beamed. "I've been waiting forever for the sequel to come out!"

Korosensei turned his inquiring gaze to Karma. "You liking superhero movies is rather unexpected, Karma."

 _Trust me, I know,_ Karma thought wryly. Surprisingly enough, watching superhero movies was the one thing he could remember doing with his father that was purely for entertainment purposes. Asano Sr. was a busy man, but occasionally he'd pop in an old classic. Gakushuu and Karma would nestle into his sides and watch, enraptured, as a hero inevitably defeated the villain and saved the day. Karma's mother wasn't nearly as interested in them as the boys, but Karma could remember her watching them sometimes, too. Of course, watching movies as a family was a rare occurrence, and Karma could only recall a handful of times it didn't end in his parents shouting at each other. Still, he could sometimes remember how it felt to be wrapped securely in his father's arm, warm and happy, and how the arm would tighten around him when a scene in the movie scared him. It was, perhaps, the only time in his life Karma knew for sure that his father loved him.

That was a long time ago, though.

After their father had introduced them to superheroes, Karma and Gakushuu would tear through comic after comic together. They loved acting out the fighting scenes, though Karma usually found himself stuck with the villain role. Gakushuu said it suited his melodramatic tendencies. Karma said Gakushuu's mask wouldn't fit his big head. The slew of insults that would follow generally devolved into fighting for real, which was quickly broken up by their mother. The two would glare and avoid each other for approximately an hour until one of them (usually Gakushuu; Karma could hold a grudge longer.) pulled the other into a different game. Unfortunately for their mother, the cycle repeated itself frequently.

Karma discovered the Sonic Ninja comics after he and Gakushuu were separated. He usually disliked cliche plots, but some of the lines amused him, plus the comics helped him improve his English. It wasn't as fun reading them by himself, but Karma made do. They reminded him of happier times, so Karma had remained a loyal fan for years. _Not that I'd ever tell anyone that,_ Karma thought to himself. _I have a reputation to uphold._

Karma scratched at his head sheepishly, feeding Korosensei one of his many excuses. "I like the director. It's unusual for him to work on a film based on American comics."

A voice piped up from Nagisa's trouser pocket, "I would like to go as well, Nagisa."

Karma watched as a quick flash of bewilderment flew across Nagisa's face, but it soon disappeared once he retrieved his phone from his pocket and saw who was smiling at him on the screen. "Ritsu . . ." he trailed off, confusion replaced by exasperation. "Why are you in my phone?"

"This is to facilitate sharing information with everyone," Ritsu explained, grinning brightly. "I have downloaded my terminal into everyone's phones. Please call me 'Mobile Ritsu'."

Karma hadn't quite formulated an opinion on Ritsu yet. One one hand, she was a genius AI with access to all sorts of information. On the other, she acted like every other giggly, naive schoolgirl, which annoyed Karma greatly. Thus, Karma had summed her up as useful, yet annoying. Despite the fact that she was a program, rather than an actual girl, she still managed to remind Karma of all the girls from the main campus. Karma barely tolerated Kayano and Nakamura, and they weren't _half_ as bubbly as Ritsu. Still, she had her uses, so Karma generally tried to act amiable, even if the giggling got on his nerves.

"I would like to experience Korosensei's mach-speed takeoff once more," Ritsu added. "The camera image might become assassination reference material."

"Very well," Korosensei said. Karma felt a trickle of uncertainty invade his previous excitement as a devious look crept across Korosensei's still smiling face. "I will let you all experience the movie, as well as my speed."

The trickle became a full blown torrent when, a few moments later, Karma found himself tucked securely inside Korosensei's gigantic robe. _What have I gotten myself into now?_ Karma asked himself, torn between thrill and hysterics. _I definitely did not think this through. This might actually be a worse idea than jumping off a cliff._

"Karma," Nagisa said, his voice betraying his own anxiety, "I didn't put much thought into it when I asked, but aren't we kinda doing something unbelievable?"

Karma fought to keep his voice steady and mask unaffected. "Guess so," he replied. "We didn't think as far as our own safety." _Not like I ever do,_ he inwardly mused.

"Don't worry," Korosensei reassured them. "I'll accelerate slowly to prevent it from taxing your bodies."

Karma only had a moment to ponder what Korosensei defined as _slowly_ before he received his answer. The three - well, four if you count Ritsu - launched from the ground at a speed Karma could only describe as _really freaking fast._ The sudden burst of speed momentarily disoriented him, and he struggled to keep his senses about him, even when the situation - the _incredibly freaking awesome_ situation that Karma could barely believe was actually happening - threatened to overwhelm him. Eventually, he managed to orient himself and fully appreciate his surroundings.

Karma watched as stretches of land and trees passed beneath them as they soared through the sky. The wind whipped across his face, blowing his hair into disarray, thought it felt far gentler than he'd expected. He thought his heart might beat out of his chest, which would be unfortunate considering the incredible view he was subject to. Beside him, Nagisa was in a similar state, struggling to decide between overwhelming fear and overwhelming awe.

"S-SO FAST!" Nagisa screamed.

Karma laughed maniacally, choosing to focus on his awe rather than terror. "Awesome. I can already see the Pacific Ocean!"

He could hear Nagisa's ragged breathing, which struck Karma as odd, considering the speed they were traveling at. _Did Korosensei do something?_ he wondered. He glanced up towards the octopus, but Nagisa answered his unvoiced question before he could discern it himself.

"Huh?" Nagisa questioned. "I don't really feel or hear the wind, Korosensei. Your head is repelling almost all of it."

 _Ah, so that's what's happening. I guess that big noggin is good for something._

Korosensei beamed down at them. "That's a good eye you have, Nagisa. The secret lies in _sensei's_ skin," he said, pointing to his head to illustrate. "My head is usually soft, but it solidifies under high pressure. As such, I won't even succumb to mach-speed wind pressure." Korosensei began pulling different materials from the depths of his robe. "Flying at supersonic speeds involves advanced laws of physics that you don't know yet. But there is something much more familiar to you that works off a principle similar to _sensei's_ skin. Let's have a little lesson on that 'Dilatancy Phenomenon'. First," Korosensei said, mixing materials as he spoke, "We'll mix potato starch with water . . ."

"He's started teaching us in mid-flight!" Nagisa exclaimed incredulously.

 _Well,_ Karma thought to himself, baffled but amused, _I'm up for anything that raises my exam scores. Let's see how he manages teaching at supersonic speed._

"Aren't you going to assassinate him, Karma?" Ritsu asked. "Right now, when you are in such close contact, would appear to be your chance to do so."

Karma's shoulders tensed as shock jolted through him. Despite his thoughts earlier, assassination hadn't crossed his mind once since he approached Korosensei. Between the anticipation for the movie and his inner battle to conceal his terror, he'd completely forgotten that Korosensei was a _target,_ not a friend or advisor. _I have to kill him,_ Karma reminded himself harshly. _Don't get soft now. It doesn't matter how nice or friendly or helpful he is. He needs to die, and I'm going to kill him. I can't forget my goal._

"Don't talk nonsense, Ritsu. Even if I were able to kill him now, we'd still drop into the Pacific Ocean at mach speed," he said, choosing to go with infallible logic, rather than admit his shortcoming. "We are completely at his mercy. All we can do is sit back and listen to his lesson."

For some reason, it didn't even bother him.

* * *

 _I have a feeling that the more we know about sensei, the more the meaning of his existence will fade from our minds._

Karma hummed quietly to himself, pondering the words on his walk home. He and Nagisa had separated only a few moments ago, and Karma found himself lost in his own thoughts without the other boy's lighthearted chatter to distract him. The accuracy of the words to himself personally made him uncomfortable, like Nagisa had peered into his mind and noticed his earlier slip-up. After all, hadn't Karma thought the exact same? Every day Korosensei greeted the class with a smile; every time he pushed Karma academically; every time he went above and beyond the call of an average teacher, Karma felt his walls lower and defenses weaken.

 _This isn't about hating him anymore. It's not about proving him to be a liar, or showing everyone he's a fake, because he's not. He really is a teacher. And not a selfish teacher, like Ono-Sensei, but a teacher who cares about his students and truly wants us to succeed. In fact, he's probably shown more interest in me this year than my own parents. How crazy is that? A super creature who claims he's going to destroy the world if we don't kill him knows more about me than my own mother._

Karma's amusement was short-lived. _In the end, though, that doesn't matter. He still has to die, and I'm going to be the one to kill him. It's my last shot to prove myself to okaa-san and otou-san. I doubt I'd ever accomplish anything greater than saving the world from complete annihilation. Even okaa-san can't ignore that._

Thoughts of his mother reminded Karma of that day's significance. His shoulders tensed without his noticing, and his feet stuttered to a halt on their journey home. The hand in his pocket clenched around his cellphone, thumb tracing over the screen as he debated with himself.

 _Does she even want me to? It's not like she's been desperate to hear the sound of my voice lately. Although, she did talk to me on my birthday._

Karma snorted. _For about two minutes._

He didn't realize he'd retrieved his phone until he found himself staring at its screen, finger hovering over his mother's contact. Sharp canines dug painfully into his bottom lip, threatening to draw blood. His knuckles had turned white from clutching the phone so tightly, though he didn't notice that either.

 _Do you really want to be disappointed again?_ the voice asked him. It didn't even sound malicious, just weary and somewhat curious.

Karma stuffed the phone back into his pocket, continuing his walk home.

 _No, I don't._


	6. Chapter 6

_Another transfer student, hm? This could prove interesting, especially if he's as far superior to Ritsu as she claims. Judging by both her and this Shiro guy, he must really be something special._ Sharp canines bit harshly into his tongue to deter the psychotic grin that threatened to appear on his face. _Finally, some real competition! I can hardly wait to get started. Oh, I hope he's on the intelligent side; it'd be no fun to compete with some muscle-bound, overpowered brute._

Karma tilted his head in contemplation. _Then again, if he's some genetically altered super genius, we'd have to compete academically as well. That could be troublesome, especially if he has an unfair advantage. Though, considering Ritsu is an all-knowing super computer, they might've chosen to focus on phy-_

 ** _CRASH!_**

Karma nearly leapt out of his skin at the sound of someone - _Is that the boy? Is it him?_ \- bursting through the solid wood wall behind him, leaving a human-sized hole in his wake. Seemingly disregarding the unnecessary display of power, the boy sat nonchalantly in the chair Shiro had dubbed his, hands folded over the desk and a wild, mad gleam in his eyes.

"I . . . am victorious," he said, voice low and flat. "I have proven myself to be stronger than this classroom's walls. That alone is enough. That alone is enough," he muttered to himself.

Karma fought to keep his eyebrows from climbing high in disbelief. _O-kaaay, they definitely chose to focus on the physical aspects with this one. Jeez, does this guy even have a brain? Though,_ Karma thought, eyeing the new hole in the wall warily, _with strength like that, I suppose he doesn't need one. All he has to do is follow Shiro's orders - no need for him to plan or strategize._ He sighed. _How boring._

Despite him being a disappointment, Karma resolved to study the new boy. It wouldn't do to be caught unawares if the boy was more than he appeared; Karma would much rather analyze his classmate to determine his weaknesses and strengths so there would be no surprises down the road. While he hated many things (failing, annoying people, the smell of dead octopus), his hatred for surprises ranked in the top ten. Karma always had to be prepared for anything, no matter what it might be; that included his mysterious new classmate who tried to prove his strength by assassinating a _wall_ of all things.

 _Itona, wasn't it? Itona Horibe. He doesn't look like much at first glance, based solely on appearances. Short, skinny - how did this shrimp knock a hole in solid wood? His eyes are disconcerting, though. If I had to choose between manic, crazed, bloodshot, or empty as the most fitting adjective, I'd have to say all of the above. This kid has serious mental issues; are they seriously planning to enroll someone this unstable in our class?_

Karma paused in his examination, eyes narrowing as he zeroed in on one vital aspect of Itona's appearance that had escaped his initial study. _Wait a minute, how did he . . ._

He smoothed his features into something relaxed and nonchalant before calling out, "Hey, Itona. It's kinda been bugging me, but you weren't carrying anything when you came in just now, right?"

Itona just stared, so Karma took that as a no. "So why aren't you even the slightest bit wet when it's pouring outside?"

The class fell silent. Karma watched with the appearance of detached interest as Itona rose slowly from his seat, while inwardly his adrenaline hummed to life. "You," the boy said, making his way towards Karma's desk at the same pace, and Karma vaguely wondered if he was about to have a hole punched through himself, too, "are probably the strongest one in this class. But don't worry," Itona said, in what Karma guess was some form of twisted reassurance as the boy reached his desk. The class watched in horrified fascination, like one would watch a train wreck, as he bent down to Karma's level, looked him dead in the eyes, and _rubbed his head._

Karma could only stare, stunned into stupefied silence, as Itona continued. "I won't kill you," he said, then moved away from Karma and down the aisle towards Korosensei. "I only want to kill those who might be stronger than me."

He watched the scene between Itona and Korosensei play before him mutely and ignored his class' shock at the sudden bombshell, still going over Itona's words in his head repetitively, obsessively.

 _Those stronger than you? Then I'm weaker than you? So if I'm weaker than you, does that make me weak, period? Or, since you say I'm the strongest in this class, does that make me strong? Am I strong only when pitted against weaker opponents, or am I weak only when pitted against stronger ones? Does one's strength depend on those around one, or is it something wholly independent, uninfluenced by anyone except oneself?_

Karma remained silent until the end of classes.

* * *

 _How is this possible? How can I compete with strength like this, strength on par with Korosensei's? How can I even hope to reach such heights?_

Karma watched the match between tentacles stoically, giving no hint of distress or despair. Inwardly, though, he _raged._

 _Is this what you wanted, father?! This kind of impossible strength that no ordinary, or extraordinary, person could withstand? Is this what it would take to satisfy you? Or would even this not be enough? Would the sacrifice of my mind and sanity, even for such incredible power, still disappoint you? Would I still fall short?_

His hands clenched in a white-knuckled fist inside his pockets, fingernails digging crescents into his palms.

 _Would I still be_ **_weak?_**

* * *

Karma stared in disbelief at the girl standing before him, completely dumbfounded as she blushed and stuttered her way through what he assumed to be a confession. She was cute; Karma could admit that much. Short, curly brown hair, sparkling gray eyes, with a button nose and a smattering of freckles - Karma might be indifferent, but he wasn't _blind_. She even had a cute voice. But why on earth would a cute girl like her confess to _him?_

 _Is she new?_ Karma wondered. _Does she not know to avoid Class E scum yet? Has she not heard all the rumors about me? Is this a prank or a dare or something? Jeez, I thought I'd scared all the girls off by now. How am I supposed to intimidate a sweet girl like her without feeling like a complete prick? Now that I think about it, how does she even know me? I can't recall ever speaking to this girl._ Karma glanced around his surroundings, looking for anyone with a camera or phone out. Surprisingly enough, the two of them were completely alone. Considering they stood at the foot of Class E's mountain, that struck Karma as rather unusual, seeing as it was directly after remedial training ended and he should be able to see his classmates trekking down the mountain, but he brushed it off. _Maybe they're doing an assassination or something._

The girl - _Did she introduce herself? I can't remember_ \- was watching him intensely, earnestness practically _oozing_ out of her, but her face fell when she realized Karma's total lack of recognition. She seemed to deflate all at once. "You don't remember, do you?"

 _Crap. I'm starting to feel bad._ "Um," Karma said, very eloquently.

The girl looked crestfallen. "It was last year. A guy had been harassing me all year - grabbing me, making gross comments. It got so bad I was considering transferring, but then one day you stepped in. You said, 'Leave her alone, you swine, nobody wants _your_ disgusting hands on them.' and then _he_ said, "Back off, loser! You wanna lose your front teeth?' and then you smiled, like, a _really_ creepy smile, and went _BAM!_ " She mimed throwing a punch and Karma couldn't help the spark of amusement at the exaggerated gesture. "And knocked his front teeth out!" She sighed dreamily. "It was _so cool._ "

Karma smiled, impressed by the girl's newfound confidence, and a little bashful at her fervent admiration. Her story had done more than amuse him, though. "And when I asked if you were okay, you just stared at me before saying, 'I'm _perfect._ '"

She beamed at him. "Yes, you remember! So, um, do you. . . " she trailed off, shuffling nervously. Her complexion returned to its previous rosy hue, and Karma inwardly bashed his head against a wall repeatedly.

 _How am I supposed to be mean to her?! Dammit, this is going to be hard. Okay, okay, I can do this. I can totally do this. Just say she's too ugly to be my type, or I would never even go near her in a million years. Something cruel!_

"Sorry, Maki." _That's her name, right?_ "You're too . . ." Karma faltered at the dismay filling her eyes, turning the previously sparkling color to a dark, stormy gray. He could see the tears threatening to spill over. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I mean, you're cute and all, but I'm not really interested in - well, people. Not like that, anyway."

Karma mentally slumped in defeat. _I couldn't do it. I've made tons of girls cry before, but I just couldn't do that to her. I'm not that heartless! Dammit, this is the first girl I've ever been honest with, and it was only because of her sad gray eyes. Dammit!_

"Oh," she said, her disappointment palpable. She struggled to smile, but she managed it. "Well, I guess that can't be helped, huh?"

"Sorry," he repeated, feeling awkward for the first time in a while.

Maki waved him off. "It's okay. I figured it was a long shot, anyway. They say you've rejected every girl who's ever asked you out."

Karma scowled fiercely. _They? Who's they? Are those stupid girls gossiping about me again?_

"A-anyway," she stuttered, eyes darting around nervously. Karma managed to return his features to their previous warmth and that seemed to soothe her a little. "Um, it was nice talking to you again, Akabane. See you around?"

He nodded. "Sure."

She smiled at him one last time before turning and walking away, back towards the main campus. Karma watched her leave, thoughts whirring, before a thought struck him.

"Maki!" he called after her.

She spun back around. "Yeah?" Thankfully, she didn't look like she expected him to have changed his mind.

This time, it was Karma shuffling nervously. "Um, well, I just wanted to know - don't you care that I'm in Class E now?"

She cocked her head, eyes gazing at him curiously. "Why would I?"

Karma gaped. "What?"

She grinned impishly. "I mean, I already know you're smart and nice and cool. What does being in Class E have to do with anything?"

His lips quirked into a small, genuine smile. _Maybe there is some hope for the main campus students. Who knew?_ "Nothing, I guess."

Maki winked at him before resuming her walk, and Karma could only huff a laugh behind her.

 _Really, who knew?_

* * *

Okajima cornered him the next day at lunch.

"Hey, Karma, who was that cute girl you were talking to yesterday? It looked like she was confessing!" He stood in front of Class E's door, blocking the exit and Karma's escape.

Karma glanced around him, about to make a make a break for it, before Nakamura and Sugino slipped in beside Okajima, effectively trapping him inside. "Eh?" Nakamura grinned, a teasing lilt to her voice. "A girl confessed to you? Who? Do we know her? Is she pretty? What did you say?"

He scowled, eyeing the door longingly. "None of your business."

"C'mon, man!" Okajima whined. "There hasn't been any good gossip in this class for _ages."_

"Yeah," Sugino agreed. "And it never involves you, so that makes this doubly interesting!"

Karma's frown only deepened. He spun sharply on his heel, returning to his desk with his chin up and eyes avoiding all contact. Unfortunately, the three of them followed, surrounding his desk expectantly. _Do they ever quit?_ Karma thought, amused despite himself. _Why is my love life so interesting?_

He sighed exasperatedly. "Yes; a girl from the main campus; no; yes; no."

Once they'd parsed his answers, they all gaped at him. "A cute girl from the _main campus_ asked you out and you said _no?"_ Sugino clarified, eyes wide.

Karma nodded.

"Your good looks are _wasted_ on a moron like you!" Okajima wailed.

Karma shot him a nasty glare and he quieted, but Nakamura was studying him with a contemplative look in her eye. "Why'd you say no? Too boring? Too bubbly?"

 _They're not going to let this go, are they? Dammit, I've never told anybody the truth, and now I'll have said it twice in as many days. I miss the days when I could just glare at these people and they'd scatter,_ Karma thought mournfully. _I liked it when they were afraid of me. It was so much simpler, then. Quieter, too._

"No, she was very nice and cute and funny," Karma answered. "I just don't date."

Okajima was staring at him in total disbelief, like he just couldn't process Karma's indifference. "Like, _ever?"_

"Ever," he confirmed, struggling not to roll his eyes.

"Okay, but _why?"_ Nakamura pressed, keenly interested.

 _Fine, whatever. It's not that big a deal, anyway. Who cares whether I like girls or boys or nobody at all? They'll all forget in a day or two. Really, who cares?_

Still, despite his bravado, Karma avoided their eyes when he answered. "I just don't like girls like that."

"Oh?" Nakamura questioned, eyebrows raised. "Do you like boys, then?"

"No."

"So let me get this straight," Okajima said, still baffled. "You don't like girls or boys. At all. Romantically, that is."

"Correct."

"You've never been interested in anybody."

"Nope."

"Never even had a teeny-tiny crush."

"Never."

He blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice. Finally, he threw his hands into the air in complete exasperation, loudly exclaiming, " _How?!"_

Karma shifted uncomfortably in his seat, self-consciousness beginning to overwhelm him. "I don't know. I'm just not interested in things like that. I guess I don't really see the point . . ." he trailed off as he realized his explanation really wasn't helping at all.

Luckily, Nakamura stepped in. "Well, there's nothing wrong with that. You just have other goals in mind." She smirked at him, patting his head teasingly. He swatted her hand away, scowl prominent, but inwardly he felt relieved.

"Yeah." Sugino grinned. "That just means less competition for us, right, Okajima?" He elbowed the other boy sharply, eliciting a pained yelp.

"Right!" Okajima agreed, rubbing his side ruefully before brightening substantially. "Less competition!"

Karma rolled his eyes, but a small smile was threatening to appear and he could finally relax, however minutely. Judging by the other three's grins, he wasn't hiding it as well as he could've, but Karma found, to his genuine surprise, that he didn't care.

 _Jeez, these people are so weird. I can't understand them at all._

Karma found he didn't mind that, either.

* * *

Karma hadn't realized other people had been eavesdropping on their conversation, but Kayano brought it up later that day when he walked home with her and Nagisa. Maybe if he had, he would've chosen to _sprint_ home, no matter how sore and fatigued remedial training left him. _Karasuma-sensei is a monster,_ Karma mentally complained. _It's like all the muscle I have from fighting doesn't exist at all and I'm just a puny twig like Nagisa. If he keeps this up, I'm going to have to buy actual food. Cup ramen really isn't doing it for me. Damn, this is going to be such a pain,_ he thought dejectedly. _I haven't even touched a stove in forever._

Kayano darted out in front of the boys, pivoting abruptly on her heel to face them, and continued walking backwards. "Hey, Karma, would you mind explaining something to me?" she questioned. The mischievous glint in her eye immediately put him on guard.

"Okay," he hesitantly agreed, eyeing her suspiciously.

"You said you don't like girls romantically, but Nagisa said, when the boys asked who you liked during the field trip, _you_ said you like Okuda. So," she grinned broadly, "care to explain?"

Karma flashed an annoyed look at Nagisa, who just smiled apologetically. "I do like Okuda," he answered dutifully. "She's cute and smart and knows how to make multiple types of poison. She also doesn't bother me with stupid questions." He glared pointedly at Kayano.

If anything, that only made her smile brighter. "But do you _like_ her?"

He sighed, conceding defeat. "If you mean _would I date her,_ then the answer is no. Like I said, I don't like girls like that."

"Or boys," Nagisa chimed in.

 _Was_ _ **everyone**_ _listening?_ Karma wondered exasperatedly. _Don't they have anything better to do than listening to private conversations? Like - oh, I don't know - assassination?!_

"Or boys," Karma agreed, nodding his head.

Kayano feigned a dejected sigh. "That's too bad. I was looking forward to teasing you mercilessly when you finally got together with someone."

 _What am I supposed to say to that?!_

"Sorry?" he tried, unsure of what exactly he was apologizing for.

"No, no, it's fine." The grin returned full force. "I'll just have to focus all my attention on Nagisa instead."

The other boy's eyes widened in what Karma could only label as pure terror. He tried to stutter out a denial, but it was too late. Kayano returned to her spot at Nagisa's side and began to tease him - quite mercilessly - about every single girl who had ever even _looked_ at him. Karma felt a twinge of sympathy for him, but only briefly. Rather than defend him, or offer a change in subject, he joined Kayano's side.

"Yeah, Nagisa, I saw you talking to Nakamura the other day. Isn't she pretty? Do you _like_ her?" Karma teased.

Nagisa blushed crimson, blue eyes screaming _you traitor!_

Karma cackled, swinging an arm around Nagisa's shoulder. "Hey, don't worry. I think she likes you too!"

 _This is nice,_ Karma thought, watching Nagisa splutter, an unfamiliar, warm feeling in his chest. Mercury eyes darted over, watching Kayano snicker. _Having friends is nice._ He smiled, warm and genuine.

 _I want this to last forever._


	7. Chapter 7

See, Karma was full of quirks - some odd, and some relatively normal. For example, his penchant for collecting exotic spices was relatively normal. His tendency to allow himself to be bashed to a pulp, though, was definitely odd in most people's view. Karma knew he was rather eccentric; considering his upbringing, how could he not be? He didn't mind being labelled strange or abnormal. To him, normal was boring. The popular notion of fitting in had always baffled him. Why would he waste time trying to mold himself into what society considered acceptable when he could be doing whatever _he_ found entertaining? He had his own likes and dislikes, and screw whatever society thought.

That was why, when the class requested his participation in the baseball game, he had to protest, even if it was only a token one.

"Eh?" he muttered, chin propped in his hand. "Do I have to?"

Korosensei stood before him in a flash, tentacles flailing. "Of course you have to, Karma, your kinetic vision and reflexes are among the highest in the class! These skills are crucial in sports!"

"Flattery will get you nowhere, _sensei."_

Almost the entirety of Class E was gathered in the classroom, focused on deciding a roster for next week's exhibition matches. Terasaka and his buddies had already bailed, choosing to forgo the almost certain public humiliation, which Karma couldn't really blame them for. Who wanted to be put on display for the entire school to laugh at? Besides, he couldn't imagine Terasaka being a team player - and where Terasaka led, Yoshida and Muramatsu followed.

The rest of the class seemed unexpectedly enthusiastic, even knowing who their opponents would be. Karma guessed they were looking forward to using their newfound assassination skills to _knock the student body down a peg_ , as Kataoka put it, though he wondered how assassination would translate over to _baseball_ of all things. Sure, the stamina and reflexes would give them a boost, but what about hitting, fielding, and catching? Those weren't covered in the standard assassin training, nor were they things you could be fluent in after only a week of practice. Going against the baseball club, who practically lived and breathed all things baseball, would be tough, regardless of Class E's enhanced physical state.

Now, Karma enjoyed going against tough opponents. To be more precise, he enjoyed _annihilating_ tough opponents, especially the delusional, arrogant types who thought themselves untouchable and invincible. Even though the baseball club fit that description inordinately well, he couldn't muster more than a paltry amount of interest in the match. Sports were never really his thing, and therein laid one of Karma's more acceptable quirks: his absolute indifference to any type of sport.

Karma didn't _hate_ sports. He just found them rather boring and - well, pointless. Why should he care which team ran around a diamond more times? Why should he spend his time bouncing a ball when he could be doing something worthwhile, such as studying or fighting? Academic competition he understood; it pushed you to study harder and learn more, which usually led to a brighter future. As for fighting, well, fighting kept him _sane._ It kept him from tearing his own hair out in frustration, from burning his house or this cursed school down to the ground and dancing in the ashes. Thus, studying: good. Fighting: good. Sports? Not so much.

That wasn't to say sports couldn't be beneficial for _other_ people. Karma knew that plenty of people made millions from playing professionally, and it gave others a chance to attend college at no cost. Karma held no contempt for those people; kudos to them for pursuing their passion! Nonetheless, Karma had about as much interest in sports as he did in astrology: _minimal._

Korosensei seemed keen on him playing, though.

"Without Terasaka's group, we have only eleven boys left," Korosensei informed him, as if he wasn't capable of basic subtraction. "We need more players than that!"

Karma waved a hand dismissively. "You only _need_ nine players, Korosensei. You'd still have an extra with ten."

His blasé response sent Korosensei into a tizzy. "Karma, we must stand together as a class if we wish to beat such formidable opponents! You can't be lazy at such a crucial time as this! Don't you want to show the main campus your strength?"

"I already did that," Karma replied, bored. "Don't you remember midterms?"

Korosensei spluttered. "Of course I do! Your results were quite impressive, but now you can prove your strength on a different stage."

He yawned. "No thanks."

"I didn't want to do this, but . . ." Suddenly, Korosensei was staring directly into his eyes, encroaching on his personal space as he pleaded frantically, "Please, Karma, your favorite and most beloved _sensei_ is begging you!"

Now he was _really_ scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Karma stared back, unamused. "Oh? I don't see Karasuma- _sensei_ anywhere."

Karma fought the urge to grin as Korosensei burst into dramatic, tear-filled wails. _You made that one too easy, sensei._

"Karma," Sugino said, interrupting the intense (and noisy) display of emotion. "I want you to fight with me." His voice was steely, blue eyes holding his own resolutely. One glance told Karma he wouldn't take no for an answer.

He sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, yeah, okay."

Sugino nodded, and that was that.

* * *

Karma stood hunched over, hands planted on his knees, as he panted for breath. His calf muscles screamed for mercy, wobbling legs barely keeping him upright. _Everything_ hurt. His entire body felt like it'd gone through the wringer. All his strength and stamina - things he'd been training in for _months_ \- had been squeezed out, leaving his body more exhausted than he could ever remember being. He would definitely feel this in the morning.

 _He's a monster,_ Karma thought, struggling to breathe through the burn in his lungs. _He's actually a monster. Is he trying to kill us? Is this payback for the dead octopus? Or the stolen gelato? Or for stealing his - disappointingly small - amount of pocket money?_

Karma realized, quite ruefully, that the intense training could be payback for a number of things, most of which were his doing.

For the past few days, Korosensei had put the boys through what Karma referred to as _Korosensei's Killer Baseball Boot Camp._ They received a crash course on all things baseball, like batting, fielding, catching, and throwing, as well as improving their basics, like running and hand-eye coordination. It had sounded easy at first. Karma thought it'd be a cinch.

He'd never been more wrong.

Korosensei's preternatural abilities made even the simplest tasks unreasonably difficult. He challenged them at every turn. Between pitching at 300 kilometers per hour and using his duplicates to create an impenetrable defense, the class - Karma included - didn't stand a chance. It was a miracle if they even managed a hit, much less reached first base. Korosensei made Karasuma's training look like a gentle workout.

 _I'm going to kill him,_ Karma decided. _As soon as I can move my arms._

The source of their agony stood smiling down on them, completely unaffected. He looked like he'd just taken a brisk stroll through the forest, rather than torturing and taunting his students at every turn for _days._ Those beady eyes (or were they nostrils? Karma could never tell) gave no hint of what he might be thinking. If anything, he seemed amused.

 _Definitely killing him._

After Korosensei explained his teaching methods, Karma was marginally appeased. He understood his teacher's reasoning, at least. It was like learning Latin before Spanish or driving a manual before an automatic. Everything else came easier afterward. So while he understood, and even appreciated, Korosensei's logic, his sore limbs still inspired a need for petty revenge.

 _I'm thinking wasabi, gelato, and anti-sensei BBs,_ he mused. _That should make me feel better._

Finally giving up on his trembling legs, Karma took a page from his classmates' book and collapsed in an undignified sprawl on the ground, groaning wearily. As he stared up at the sky, squinting from the sunlight, he wondered if this was all worth it. He'd always thought sports were a waste of time, so why was he wearing himself out for a measly exhibition match?

"Sugino, I hope you appreciate this," he said. "And you better not complain the next time I ask you to do something."

Sugino snorted. "You ask me to do _illegal_ things, Karma. I think that's a little different."

"Whatever."

Sugino didn't speak until several minutes later. "Karma?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks."

Karma felt that now familiar warmth spread throughout his gut, and he thought, _oh yeah, that's why._

 _Friends help friends._

He didn't complain again.

* * *

Karma hummed quietly to himself as he played his Nintendo. Every now and then, his eyes would dart up to check his team's progress in the baseball match, but they mostly stayed focused on his game. He hadn't spent much time gaming lately, too intent on studying and learning assassination techniques, so it was nice to relax and do something mindless for once. It's not like he was needed at the moment, anyway.

 _Sitting on the bench is so boring,_ Karma thought. _Why would anyone want to do this?_

"Seriously, Karma?" Karma looked up to see Sugino watching him for a few feet away. He was clearly trying for annoyed, but he just managed to come off amused. "Are you going to play that for the whole game?"

Karma blinked. "I can do that?"

"No!"

"Kidding," Karma said, grinning broadly. "Really, Sugino, I'm hurt you think so little of me."

Sugino just rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he said, grabbing a bat and slipping on his helmet and batting gloves. "Try to show some team spirit, would you?" He exited the dugout.

"Sure thing, _Captain,"_ Karma teased. In a loud voice, he called out after him, "Goooo, Sugino! Aim for that elitist snob's face!"

Sugino shot him a death glare over his shoulder, and Karma couldn't help the snicker that escaped. Reigning in his amusement, he watched as, to the crowd and opposing team's shock, Sugino switched from his bunting stance and hit a base-clearing triple. The main campus students could only watch in stupefied silence as Sugino rounded the bases.

The crowd might've been silent, but the Class E boys _roared._

"Yeah, Sugino!"

"Way to go!"

"You showed them!"

Even Karma joined in the celebration, hooting and cheering and applauding with the rest of them. Sugino beamed at them from third base, triumph clear in his eyes. He'd faced Shindou, the one who'd replaced him in the baseball club and totally eclipsed him in academics, and _won._ The game wasn't over, but now they knew victory was possible. They could actually defeat the so-called 'chosen ones' in a game that was rigged for them to fail.

The crowd was in a state of shock, murmurs of disbelief and confusion fluttering through the air. None of them had expected Class E to score a single point, much less _three_ of them, and especially not in the first inning. They'd expected three up and three down, not all the batters to get on base. And why shouldn't they? It wasn't like Class E had ever scored before.

"It's so much fun tearing down the powerful," Karma said, eyes gleaming with delight. "As soon as something doesn't go their way, they panic and break down. This will definitely be a blow to their pride." He laughed. "If they're especially weak-minded, they might even quit! Those are always the most fun."

Isogai flashed him an exasperated look, though it didn't have the effect he probably intended since he was still smiling. "Is there anyone you _don't_ enjoy tormenting?"

Karma thought of his brother, of adoration twisted into bitter resentment, of a once playful sibling rivalry that had devolved into cruel words and crueler competition, of a bond that had been steadily poisoned until only a sour, acerbic taste remained, and he somehow managed to smile. "Just one."

Isogai looked surprised, but he didn't say anything. Karma returned to his game, the picture of boredom, while inwardly he pondered whether Gakushuu was watching Class E outwit the elite 'chosen ones', and what he thought about it.

 _Ne, onii-chan, do you still think we're scum?_

* * *

He swore he only glanced up for a split-second, just long enough to determine why everyone had fallen into a tense, strangled silence, and he was about to lower his eyes once more when a familiar suit caught his attention. He sat frozen, gaze fixed on the man walking onto the field like he owned it, his stomach twisted into agonizing knots. He couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't _breathe_ through the panic welling up in his chest because he _knew_ this man, knew him painfully and intimately well, despite the towering wall that had always stood between them. His Nintendo fell to his lap, forgotten, and the mutterings of his team went unnoticed. That distance, less than a hundred feet, was the closest he'd been to _that man_ in five long, bitter years. His heart felt like it would burst out of his chest, and he couldn't help but think, morbidly, perhaps that would be fitting considering that man had always been so adept at effortlessly tearing and crushing his heart without regard to the mess he left behind or to the boy he tossed aside, and he couldn't breathe, he couldn't breathe, _he couldn't breathe._

"Karma? Are you okay? You're looking a little pale."

He must have nodded, or somehow managed to speak around the lump in his throat, or maybe whoever asked just chose to leave him be, because nobody tried to speak to him again. All this passed through his mind without a second thought, with barely a first one, because all of Karma's attention was focused on the man talking to the opposing team. His vision had tunneled; he couldn't tear his eyes away. His mind refused to stop, thoughts racing at speeds capable of challenging Korosensei. Perhaps, though, _thoughts_ wasn't quite accurate. No, it was more like one thought dominated all the rest, simply repeating itself over and over and over until Karma truly believed he would go insane.

 _That's my father._

Karma stared, dumbfounded, as his father assumed command of the opposing team (of the _strong,_ the _worthy,_ the _chosen,_ of which Karma had never been apart of) and casually wreaked havoc on Class E's strategy. He watched as his classmates went up to bat and, unable to counterattack, were declared out. He could feel the rising tension in the dugout, the dismay of his teammates as they watched their best (and perhaps only) strategy fall to underhanded tactics that only succeeded because they were Class _E,_ and the rage and indignation such a defeat incurred. Dread had begun to creep in, wrapping its icy fingers around his heart in a vice-like grip and _squeezing_ , and a sour taste, not unlike bile, filled his mouth. He thought he might choke on the lump in his throat. He didn't even need to watch the next batter because he knew, he knew, he _knew,_ without a fraction of a doubt, what the outcome would be.

 _You're going to win again,_ Karma thought, burgeoning hysteria threatening to overwhelm him. _You're going to win again, and I can't stop you._

Unwilling to be a passive spectator to another of his father's triumphs over the powerless ( _like you?_ the voice whispered, venom dripping from every word. _Like you like you like you like youlikeyoulikeyouLIKEYOU?),_ he fled. He slipped out of the dugout, unobserved by his teammates, and _ran._

He didn't give much thought to where he was running to, only concerned with who he was running from. He just had to get away, away, _away._ He realized, in the far corners of his mind, that he must be running through the forest because branches were tearing at his clothes and his face, fabric ripping and blood dripping. He couldn't feel it, though. Not the branches smacking his face or the blood trickling down his cheeks or the pounding of his feet against the ground - he didn't feel any of it. The physical pain might've hurt, but the memories playing through his mind were _agony._

 _Karma was seven years old, and he hated the game his father made him and Gakushuu play. He would sit in his leather armchair, which looked more like a throne to the young boys than anything else, and the two boys would stand before him. He would ask them questions about math, science, kanji, and whatever else he must've thought the boys needed to know. He always started with Gakushuu. He would ask him a question, Gakushuu would answer it correctly, and then he would turn to Karma and do the same. This would go on and on, sometimes for over an hour. As the questions became more and more difficult, the boys would begin to sweat, wracking their brains for any forgotten piece of knowledge and stumbling over their words when they answered._

 _Eventually, though, one of them had to break, and it was always Karma._

 _He father asked Gakushuu a question, some obscure science fact that neither of the boys should know yet, and then it was Karma's turn. His heart pounded, his hands were clutched behind his back, fingernails digging into his skin. He tried to put on a brave face like Gakushuu always did, but the knowing glint in his father's eyes told him it was for naught. His father always knew when he was faking._

 _His father asked him a question, what it was Karma didn't even remember, but seven year old Karma felt his heart freeze in his chest because_ _ **he didn't know the answer.**_ _His mouth fell open, just a little, but nothing came out. He searched his brain frantically, desperate not to lose, but it was futile. He didn't know, and his father knew it. He probably knew before he even asked._

 _"I don't know, otou-san." The words felt like lead in his mouth._

 _Gakuhou remained impassive. He turned to Gakushuu and asked him the same question, and his brother answered correctly. Karma couldn't help it: in that one, brief moment, he_ _ **hated**_ _his brother. Hated him for always being perfect, for always answering correctly, for having just a fraction of otou-san's approval - a fraction was more than Karma had, anyway. Of course, the hatred was fleeting and quickly followed by shame and self-loathing. How could he think such things of Gakushuu, his best friend and fiercest defender? His brother loved him, he knew that._

 _His father didn't, he knew that._

 _Gakuhou stared down at Karma, eyes cold and disapproving, just like always. He felt like a bug under a microscope when otou-san did that, like he was nothing but a pesky fly for his father to swat down. His father looked at him like he was_ _ **nothing.**_

 _He wished he would hit him instead. That would hurt less._

Karma gasped for breath as he sprinted through the woods, lungs burning and sweat stinging in his eyes. The pain was still hazy, not fully realized yet. He dreaded the moment it would all crash down, but he knew it was inevitable. Still, he'd rather feel anything, even pain, than what he felt as long-suppressed memories flooded to the surface, leaving him shaky and vulnerable.

 _His mother - still Mrs. Asano, though not for long - ushered him into the car. Her hands, always so gentle, were shaking as they guided him into the back seat. He crawled inside, she shut the door, and when she moved away from the car he saw his father standing in the front doorway, watching._

 _He didn't look any different, even though his wife and youngest son were leaving him. He seemed just as calm and composed as usual, and Karma felt tears pool in his eyes. Didn't he care? Didn't it hurt to know his wife and child were leaving and would never come back? It hurt Karma. No matter how distant or detached Gakuhou was, he still loved him. How could he not?_

 _His mother opened the driver's door and slipped in. She placed her hands on the wheel, and Karma could see them trembling. She leaned back against the seat as sobs wracked her body, hands leaving the wheel to cover her face. He wanted to say something to comfort her, but he couldn't find the words. What do you tell someone whose world has fallen apart, whose marriage has crumbled to dust, whose family has shattered like glass?_

 _Karma didn't know, so he said nothing._

 _She managed to calm herself, eventually, and turned in her seat to offer him a wobbly, tear-stained smile. "We'll be okay, Karma, I promise. We're still a family, you still have me."_

 _He wondered if it was selfish of him to want more._

 _His mother started the car and pulled out of the driveway, and Karma realized, panicking, that he might never see his house again. He twisted around in his seat, ignoring his mother urging him to fasten his seat belt. She drove slowly, so he could still see his father. He'd moved from the doorway to the mailbox and was watching them with some unidentifiable expression._

 _Do something, he begged wordlessly. Don't just stand there and watch! I'm not asking you to collapse in grief or to scream at the sky, but I need something. A tear, a frown, a look of regret or sorrow - anything! Please, don't let us go with that same blank expression. Please, give me something that proves you still love us, that you still love me._

 _Soon, they were too far away for Karma to see him any longer. He turned back in his seat, fastened his seat belt, and managed to smile at his mother. She saw it in the mirror and smiled back - shaky, but there. He turned his attention to the window, leaning against it and watching big houses and neat yards fly by, all while feeling his heart break._

 _Did we really mean so little to you?_

He didn't know how long he'd been running. Sensation had crept in once more, leaving him sore and bruised and painfully aware of his shredded skin, but he kept going. He ignored his lungs crying for air and forced his wobbling legs to move, to run, to take him far, _far_ away. He didn't want to be anywhere _near_ that man, not when flashbacks of his father were fighting for his attention, each seeking to torment him with his most traumatic memories. He'd spent so long ignoring them, forgetting them, _repressing_ them that now, when he was caught off guard, they threatened to bury him. Old wounds that had never healed had been ripped open, suddenly and without finesse, and were now bleeding and aching and clamoring for his attention. He had to keep running until they scabbed over again.

 _Gakuhou crouched down to Karma's level, those soulless eyes gazing directly into his. His mother - no longer Mrs. Asano, but not Mrs. Akabane yet - stood directly behind him, gripping his shoulders hard enough to bruise. Court had just ended, and so had their family. Officially, anyway. Everyone knew their family had reached its end a long time ago._

 _"This will be good for you," Otou-san said, expression as empty as his eyes. "You're not like Gakushuu and me. You've got more of your mother in you." He sighed, and, for just a second, Karma thought he saw some unknown emotion leaking into his eyes, but it disappeared before he could identify it. "You just aren't meant for this." Gakuhou stood, staring down at him one last time. "Be good for your mother." His father turned and walked away without a second glance._

 _Karma looked at Gakushuu, eyes wide and terrified. The reality of the situation sunk in, and he realized he might not see his brother again for a very, very long time. He tore himself from his mother's grasp and launched himself into his brother's arms, sobbing, pleading for him not to go. Gakushuu hugged him back, trembling from his own tears. They clutched each other for a long time, each unwilling to let go and lose the other._

 _"Don't go," Karma cried. "Please don't go. I love you, don't go."_

 _"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I love you too. I'm sorry."_

 _Eventually, the two parents separated them, leading the heartbroken brothers away. Karma wanted, more than anything, to rip his hand from his mother's and run back to Gakushuu, but he knew he couldn't. His mother had her own grief to deal with, and he knew it devastated her to leave her eldest behind. Still, he couldn't help but glance back, desperate for one more look at his brother._

 _Gakushuu had looked back at the same moment and, when their eyes met, he shouted, "I promise, Karma! I promise!"_

 _They held each other's gaze as long as they could, each unwilling to look away, until they disappeared from each other's sight._

 _They wouldn't meet again for three years._

Karma ran until his chest ached and his lungs burned and he dripped sweat in the hot, humid air. His limbs had a limit, though, and he finally stopped, hunched over and panting for breath. His muscles cried for relief, and his eyes stung with blood and sweat and tears, but he couldn't concentrate on the pain, not with his thoughts taunting him like they were.

The voice shrieked laughter in his head. _Coward! You were the closest you'd been to him in years, and you ran away? I thought you were brave; I thought you were strong. You just proved how weak you are, coward! He tore your family apart, and you can't even face him! You're weak! You're a failure! You're_ _ **nothing!**_

Karma snapped.

"Shut up!" he screamed. He located a branch on the ground, about the width of his forearm, and he snatched it up, gripping it in both hands. He turned to face one of the trees, madness in his eyes and fury in his veins. He raised the branch, lip curling in a vicious snarl, and swung _hard._ The impact jarred his hands and sent tremors up his arms, but he didn't stop. He hit the tree again and again and _again_ , ignoring the splinters digging into his palms and the ache in his shoulders.

 _Oh, are you throwing a tantrum now, after all these years?_ The voice sounded amused. _Have you finally broken? And all it took was seeing him, being near him, and being defeated by him._

"Shut up!" he roared back, hands clenching in a white-knuckled grip on the branch. "You don't know anything!"

 _I don't know anything? I don't know anything?! I've been with you through_ _ **everything**_ _, you ungrateful brat! Your parents' divorce, the bullies at school, your mother remarrying, you being_ _ **abandoned**_ _, all your defeats, all your failures: I've been here for everything! You would've gone_ _ **insane**_ _without me, understand? You_ _ **need**_ _me._

"I don't need anyone!"

 _Really?_ it asked, scornful. _Then why are you at this school? Why are you so desperate to beat Gakushuu? Why are you so disappointed when your calls go to voicemail? Why did you fight so hard for your father's love? You don't need anyone, huh? Liar._

The branch broke, snapping in half and sending fragments everywhere. He tossed the branch aside, hands sticky with blood, but he paid them no mind. His eyes darted around wildly, searching for another. He found one, grabbed it, and resumed his frenzied attack.

"You don't get to criticize me!"

 **WHAM.**

"I don't care what you say!"

 **WHAM.**

"I don't need him!"

 **WHAM.**

"I don't need her!"

 **WHAM.**

"I _hate_ him!"

 **WHAM.**

"And I don't need you, either!"

 **WHAM.**

"You're just a stupid voice!"

 **WHAM.**

 _You're nothing, you hear me? Nothing, nothing, nothing! You'll always be a coward, a weakling pretending to be strong so someone will love you. They never will, you know! You will drown in your misery and despair, and they'll all be better off for it. So go take a swim, brat, and show the world just how worthless, how_ _ **weak**_ _you truly are._

"I-" **WHAM** "-told-" **WHAM "-** you-" **WHAM** "-to-" **WHAM** "-shut-" **WHAM** "- _UP!"_

 _ **CRACK!**_

Still clutching the shattered, bloody stick in his hand, Karma lifted his face to the sky and howled a wordless cry, voice filled with rage and anguish. He screamed until his throat was raw, until the ear-splitting sound tapered off into a near-silent rasp, until he'd completely flushed the voice out of his head and was left with sweet, blessed silence.

He collapsed against a tree, branch falling from his fingertips as he slid down the trunk, gasping for breath. The voice might be gone, but it seemed Karma was just as adept at torturing himself. Panic held his lungs in a vice, constricting the air flow and sending his head spinning. He couldn't _breathe,_ even though his lungs heaved desperately for oxygen, and the terrifying revelation just heightened his panic. Darkness crept in around the edges of his vision, and he faintly realized he would pass out if this continued much longer.

He scratched furiously at his face, nails scraping against still-bleeding scabs. The sluggish flow of blood soon quickened to a steady stream, leaving Karma with a vicious sense of satisfaction. _I'm not like you,_ he thought. _I don't want your face. I don't want your face. I don't want your face. Don'twantyourfacedon'twantyourfacedon'twantyourstupidface-!_

Yellow tentacles gently pulled his hands away from his face.

"Breathe, Karma," Korosensei's said, voice calm and soothing. "In an out. There's nobody else here; it's just you and me. Nothing's happening. Just try to breathe."

"C-can't," he managed between gasps.

"Yes, you can. Do it with me: in for four seconds, out for four. There, that's it. Keep going. In for four, out for four. Now again."

He didn't know how long they sat there, Korosensei encouraging him as he fought for each spluttering breath. Eventually, the darkness receded from his vision and Karma could breathe again, even if it sent spikes of pain through his chest. He was vividly aware of every ache, every bruise, and every scratch that littered his body, as well as his sweat-soaked clothes that stuck to his skin and the blood trickling down his face.

He was also aware of Korosensei studying him, a mix of concern and curiosity etched into his still-smiling face. "Karma," he began, voice hesitant. "Are you feeling better now?"

He gazed dully at the ground. "Yeah."

"Do you think you can tell me what happened? You just disappeared. Nobody knew where you were, or where you went, or even when you left."

"I-I couldn't face him. Not again. I couldn't. I _couldn't."_ He sounded near hysterical. His breathing had begun to pick up again; his heart thumped frantically in his chest.

"It's all right, Karma, he's not here. Just breathe." Korosensei was still holding his hands, he realized. When was the last time someone held his hand? He couldn't remember. "That's better. Now, who could you not face?"

"The chairman."

He looked puzzled. "Why not?"

"Because he's . . . he's my _father,"_ Karma whispered.

Korosensei remained silent, so he rambled on, anxiety leaking into his words. "I didn't really know him, he was always so distant. A-and when my parents divorced, I went to live with my mother and my brother stayed with him. He's a year older than me, but I skipped a grade so I could be in his year." And so he continued, babbling about not seeing his brother or father for years, about his mother being strictly opposed to him attending Kunugigaoka, about meeting Gakushuu again after so long, about struggling so desperately against his father's expectations and his mother's apathy and his brother's genius intelligence, about the panic he felt at being _so close_ to his father after so many years of hatred and distance. Korosensei listened to it all, not interrupting or leaving, and Karma was so relieved, so _grateful_ someone was willing to sit by him and just _listen_ for once. He had Korosensei's undivided attention, and he couldn't remember the last time someone deigned to bestow that upon him.

When his words reached their end and his voice trailed off, Korosensei finally spoke. "Have you told anyone else?"

He shook his head.

"I think you should."

Panic surged through his veins, elevating his heartbeat to a rapid _thumpthumpthump._ "No!" he burst out. "No, I can't. My father is the one who started the Class E system; he's the one who enforces the discrimination against us. They'd _hate_ me, Korosensei. Please, _please_ don't say anything."

 _If I tell them, they'll leave me. I'll be alone again, despised and rejected and isolated. I've only just learned what it's like to have friends, don't take them away so soon. I can't be alone again. Please, I couldn't bear it. I can't watch from the outside while everyone else finds happiness and moves on, leaving me behind in my misery and bitterness. I'd rather die._

"If that's what you want, I won't tell anyone," Korosensei said, slowly, like he knew he would regret it but was going to do it anyway. "But I don't think they'd take it as badly as you think. They're your friends, Karma, regardless of who your father is."

Karma nodded, mumbling a quiet _thanks._ They sit there in silence for a while, both pondering the events and revelations of the day, both curious about what the other was thinking, neither daring to ask. Some time later, Korosensei heaved a loud, dramatic sigh before standing, offering Karma an outstretched tentacle. He grinned, faint but there, remembering the last time he'd gripped that tentacle in his hand. Korosensei's twinkling eyes told him the octopus remembered too, so Karma just huffed a weak laugh and accepted the boost to his feet.

His legs wobbled, but they didn't buckle, so Karma took that as a victory, albeit a small one. He dusted the wooden shards off his clothes, scowling at the numerous tears and the scratches that peeked through. He'd have to ask Karasuma for another gym uniform, and he dreaded the dark glare the request would bring him.

"So, Karma," Korosensei said, a mischievous look overtaking his face. "Would you like to walk the three miles back to school, or would you like a ride?"

He quirked a small, relieved smile. "I think I'd like a ride."

During the incredibly brief trip, Karma tried to apologize for ditching the game, but Korosensei waved him off.

"No, no, it's fine! We put Chiba in. Of course, your talent for provocation would've been highly useful, but it all worked out. We beat the baseball club, three to two."

Karma was so stunned he didn't even notice they'd landed. His father had _lost?_ That was impossible! He father _never_ lost. It simply didn't happen. In Karma's mind, Gakuhou was incapable of losing. He didn't think the words _Asano Gakuhou_ and _lost_ even belonged in the same sentence. Not unless there was a _never_ between them.

Korosensei must've noticed his bewilderment. "Your father isn't as invincible as you think. He's faced defeat before, too."

Karma remained silent, still disbelieving.

* * *

Karma sat quietly in his seat the next day, listening as the guys celebrate their win and congratulate each other. He felt his shoulders tense and his smile freeze when they mentioned the chairman. His heart sunk lower and lower in his chest with every word about his father's vicious, underhanded strategies and his intimidating aura. _That wasn't even him at his most terrifying,_ he mused to himself. _Really, they got off easy._

"Hey, Karma, where did you go yesterday? You totally disappeared!" Sugino grinned at him, but he could see the disappointment in his eyes. He'd promised to fight with him, to _win_ with him, but instead he'd run away like a coward. His shame intensified.

He faked a smile. "Sorry, I got sick and had to leave. Looks like you pulled it off without me, though. Congratulations!"

Sugino clapped him on the back cheerfully. "Thanks! But I wish you would've told someone you were leaving; we were all really worried when you just vanished."

"Sorry."

"Nah, it's fine. Just something for you to remember next time, okay?" Sugino tilted his head, eyes narrowing as he studied his face. The sudden change in expression unnerved Karma, as well as his scrutiny, and he fought the urge to fidget. "What happened to your face? It's pretty scratched up. Did you get mauled by a cat or something?"

"It's nothing," Karma said. "Don't worry about it."

Sugino frowned, concern evident in his eyes, but something in Karma's face must've told him to drop it, because he did. Rather than pester him with more questions, he went off to chatter with Nagisa, much to Karma's relief. He didn't need someone asking questions they wouldn't like the answer to. Better to remain silent.

Karma looked around the classroom, studying each student and wondering what they would think of him if they knew. _Okaa-san can't even look at me because of him. What would they do? Would they loathe me as much as they do him, or would they hate me even more because I didn't tell them? Does it matter that I don't live with him, that I haven't spoken to him for years, that he doesn't even like me, much less love me, or is the fact of my blood enough? It's funny, we both rely on underhanded strategies and we both want total domination over our enemies. Like father, like son, I guess._

Karma smiled sadly at his friends before slipping out of the classroom and disappearing into the woods, unnoticed by his classmates. As he trudged through the familiar trees, the voice's taunts echoed through his head: _weak, weak, weak, weak._


End file.
